Ahmedabad, December 19, 2025 – India and South Africa face off today in the fifth and final T20 International at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, with India leading the series 2-1. After a disappointing washout due to excessive fog in Lucknow, both teams are eager to conclude the series on a high note.
The focus will be on Suryakumar Yadav's form as he leads the Indian side. The series is currently poised at 2-1 in favor of India, and a win today would seal their 14th consecutive T20I series victory. South Africa, led by Aiden Markram, will be aiming to level the series and end their tour of India on a positive note.
The fourth T20I in Lucknow was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to dense fog, an anti-climactic end to the northern leg of South Africa's tour. With the series still up for grabs, both teams will be keen to make the most of the Ahmedabad encounter.
India has had a mixed year, with a Test series defeat in Australia and a Test series whitewash against South Africa. However, their T20I form has been consistent, and they are yet to lose a series in the format this year. South Africa, after losing the Test series 0-2, bounced back to win the ODI leg 2-1. They will look to carry that momentum into this final T20I.
Jasprit Bumrah is set to return to the Indian team after missing the third match due to personal reasons. However, Axar Patel has been ruled out due to illness. There is also uncertainty surrounding Shubman Gill's participation, as he is reportedly suffering from a toe injury. If Gill is unavailable, Sanju Samson is likely to take his place in the XI. The predicted Indian XI includes Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill/Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, and Varun Chakaravarthy.
The toss is scheduled for 6:30 PM IST, and the match will begin at 7:00 PM IST. The match will be broadcast on the Star Sports network and streamed live on JioHotstar.
This match also provides an opportunity for both teams to assess the conditions at the Narendra Modi Stadium, which will host the T20 World Cup final in March. With the T20 World Cup just months away, both sides will be looking to fine-tune their strategies and team compositions.
In T20Is, India holds a clear advantage over South Africa, winning 20 out of 34 matches played between the two teams. South Africa has won 13 matches, and one ended with no result. Today's match promises to be an exciting contest as both teams battle for supremacy.
