India v South Africa | 5th T20I | Friday, 19th December | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad | 3:30pm
The equation is simple. South Africa must win to avoid losing the series, while either a win or another no result will be enough for India to seal it.
This is the final stop on a long Proteas tour. South Africa claimed the Test series, India took the ODIs, and now everything rides on one last T20I before the visitor’s head home.
India come into the match as the world’s top ranked T20I side, with South Africa currently sitting fifth.
It has been a mixed bag for Proteas opener Quinton de Kock. He struck a brilliant 90 in the second match but followed that up with scores of 1 and 0 in his other two outings.
The latest ICC rankings have been kind to India’s young guns. Tilak Varma has climbed to fourth in the T20I batting rankings, while his teammate Abhishek Sharma sits at number one.
Recent history also favours the hosts, with South Africa managing just one win in their last five T20Is against India.
With the ball, Varun Chakravarthy and Lungi Ngidi have been the standout performers. Both have taken six wickets in the series, Chakravarthy averaging 9.83 and Ngidi 13.33.
World number one T20I batsman Abhishek Sharma has not piled up the runs yet, but when he has scored, they have come at speed. He is currently striking at an eye catching 181.57.
There is growing concern around the form of India skipper Suryakumar Yadav. He has now gone 24 innings without a half century and has slipped to tenth in the world rankings. His scores of 12, 5 and 12 in the series tell the story, with Ngidi dismissing him twice.
India will be without allrounder Axar Patel, who misses the final match through illness. Shahbaz Ahmed has been named as his replacement. Ahmed has played three ODIs and two T20Is for India, most recently appearing in the 2023 Asian Games final against Afghanistan. His form in the current Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy has been modest, with 60 runs in five matches at a strike rate of 133.33 and four wickets at an economy of 8.25.
Venue: Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad
South Africa have never played a T20I at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
India have won five of the seven T20Is played at the venue, with none of those matches ending in a no result.
The toss has played a role here, with the team winning it choosing to field first in six of the seven games.
The average first innings score is 160.
The highest total at the ground was India’s 234 for four against New Zealand in 2023. The lowest was New Zealand’s reply in that same match, bowled out for just 66 in 12.1 overs.
The highest successful chase at the venue was India’s 166 for three against England in 2021.
Weather
Ahmedabad is set for a near perfect winter’s day for cricket. Sunny skies, no rain and low humidity of around 22% are expected. Temperatures will peak at 30 degrees during the afternoon before dropping to a cool 14 in the evening, with a light northeast breeze completing ideal playing conditions.
Form guide (most recent first)
India: A, W, L, W, NR
South Africa: A, L, W, L, L
Key players
India, Abhishek Sharma
At the top of the order, Abhishek has been explosive even without big scores. His ability to score quickly means he can change a game in a matter of overs, as seen in the third T20I. With the highest career T20I strike rate of all time, he will be keen to leave a mark in the series decider.
South Africa, Aiden Markram
The Proteas captain has been their most reliable batter. He was the lone bright spot in the third T20I with a well-made 61 and has made starts in every match so far. With 104 runs, he is the second highest scorer in the series behind Tilak Varma. Whether he opens or bats at three or four, expect Markram to lead from the front in South Africa’s final international match of 2025.
Verdict: India
It has been a long tour and thoughts of home comforts and Christmas will surely be creeping into the Proteas camp. While South Africa have everything to play for, recent trends suggest a tough ask. India have tended to finish strong in white ball series and while this should be competitive, the smart money is on the hosts getting over the line in Ahmedabad.