India enters the contest with a clear advantage, as a win will seal the T20I series, while a defeat would result in a drawn series.
India's captain Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube celebrate a wicket during the third T20 International cricket match between India and South Africa at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium, in Dharamshala, 2025. (Photo: IANS/X/@BCCI)
India and South Africa will face off in the fifth and final T20I of the series at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on 19 December, Friday. India lead the series 2-1 after the fourth T20I in Lucknow was abandoned without a ball bowled due to dense fog and poor visibility.
The decider will begin at 7:00 PM IST, with the toss scheduled for 6:30 PM.
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India enters the contest with a clear advantage, as a win will seal the T20I series, while a defeat would result in a drawn series. Having lost the Test series 2-0 to South Africa, the hosts will be keen to finish the white-ball leg on a positive note.
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Match: India vs south Africa 5th T20I series
Venue: Narendra modi stadium, surat, Ahmedabad
Time: 7:00 pm IST (Toss at 6:30 pm)
Where to watch: Star Sports Network and JioHotstar app
India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav will be under the spotlight as he looks to rediscover form in the series decider. The batter has endured a lean patch in T20Is and has not registered a half-century since October 2024. In the previous completed match in Dharamsala, Suryakumar managed 12 off 15 balls, and Friday’s game presents a final opportunity to silence concerns ahead of the T20 World Cup.
India will be without vice-captain Shubman Gill, who has been ruled out after sustaining a toe injury, opening the door for Sanju Samson. Jasprit Bumrah, who missed the Dharamsala match due to personal reasons, returns to the squad. All-rounder Axar Patel has been ruled out due to illness and has been replaced by Shahbaz Ahmed.
South Africa, meanwhile, are out of contention for the series but will aim to finish on a high. Quinton de Kock and Marco Jansen remain key threats for the visitors. De Kock has been in fine form, highlighted by his blistering 90 in the second T20I.
• Total Matches Played: 35
• India Won: 20
• South Africa Won: 13
• No Result: 2
India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma, Sanju Samson, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed.
South Africa: Aiden Markram (c), Ottneil Baartman, Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Quinton de Kock, Tony de Zorzi, Donovan Ferreira, Reeza Hendricks, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, David Miller, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Tristan Stubbs.
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