Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Varun Chakaravarthy star as India beat South Africa by 30 runs; win series 3-1

Under the bright lights of the Narendra Modi Stadium, the Indian cricket team finished 2025 in style by beating South Africa by 30 runs in the fifth and final T20I. This win resulted in a 3-1 series victory for Suryakumar Yadav’s team, thanks to Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya’s explosive fifties and Varun Chakaravarthy’s bowling clinic.

In the first innings, India’s openers Sanju Samson (37) and Abhishek Sharma (34) wasted no time and put on 63 runs in the powerplay. But the real fireworks started when Hardik Pandya joined Tilak Varma. Pandya dived into the bowling. He hit his half-century in just 16 balls; It was his fastest ever and the second fastest knock by an Indian in T20Is, just behind Yuvraj Singh’s famous 12-ball effort. Tilak Varma, on the other hand, looked like he had South Africa’s number again; He continued to punish the bowlers with a scathing score of 73 off 42 overs while keeping things together.

The duo put together a 105-run stand in just 44 balls, taking India to a massive total of 231/5. The fans in Ahmedabad got their money’s worth and watched them hit 10 sixes between them; including a Pandya shot that made even Gautam Gambhir in the stands stand up and take notice.

South Africa did not back down. Veteran opener Quinton de Kock came out swinging and hit a smooth fifty, giving the Indian pacers a headache right from the first ball. South Africa, who scored 67 points without loss after six overs, were chasing a record.

Then Varun Chakaravarthy happened. India’s ‘Mystery Spinner’ flipped the script and ripped through South Africa’s innings with four wickets. He broke up the opening partnership and then moved into the middle order to grab Aiden Markram’s wicket for good measure. Chakaravarthy’s 4 for 29 absolutely stifled the chase, with the South African batsmen struggling to read him on a pitch that was starting to get contested.

Dewald Brevis and Corbin Bosch had a fight in the end but Jasprit Bumrah’s snipers closed the door in the final over. South Africa finished the race with 201 for 8.

The 3-1 series win sends a strong message as India enters the new year. Sure, Suryakumar Yadav’s own runs have dried up a bit, but with Tilak Varma turning in the match-winner and Hardik Pandya also returning to his best finish, the selectors have every reason to feel good with the T20 World Cup on the horizon.

Also read| Watch: Hardik Pandya sends flying kisses to girlfriend Mahieka Sharma after smashing India’s second-fastest T20I fifty