🏏South Africa tour of India 2025: India vs SA - 5th T20I, Ahmedabad🏏

🏏South Africa tour of India 2025: India vs SA - 5th T20I at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on 11/19/2025 at 7:00 PM IST🏏

India are in a no-lose position after the 4th T20I was abandoned, as they can’t lose the series, but a win would offer an emphatic 3-1 series win. While India are looking far stronger than South Africa and are favoured to win, one of the Proteas’ strengths is fighting back in the face of adversity, so they are likely to put up a strong fight in the 5th T20I.

South Africa's memorable tour of India can still end with a nice cherry on the top. Having won the Tests 2-0 and forced a decider in the ODIs, they go into the last T20I with a chance to deny India a series win, which has been done only once in their last 14 series or tournaments in the format.

However, no play in foggy Lucknow has made sure South Africa can't win this series. And that is not an unexpected result. India have their T20I game almost sorted. They are only ironing out final wrinkles before their World Cup title defence. South Africa are playing like a side still figuring out the ideal structure for their limited-overs teams.

There should be no threat of fog or need for jumpers in Ahmedabad, where day-time temperatures are still hitting early 30s. At least going by last year's IPL, Ahmedabad also happens to be a venue least affected by the toss. In seven night games this year, sides defended successfully six times. However, you never can tell since this is a different time of the year.

Preview

The north Indian caravan of South Africa's tour of India came to an anti-climactic end in Lucknow, and the visitors are now travelling to the western part of the country to end their month-long tour, in Ahmedabad.

The abandoned game has stretched India's unbeaten series run in T20Is to 14, and South Africa have, at best, an opportunity to level the five-match series in the final game of the tour. The climate and playing conditions are likely to be different, but more important than the eventual result of the series is the opportunity for South Africa to test what could be their best XI (in the absence of Kagiso Rabada) in Indian conditions ahead of next year's World Cup.

If in the bargain they lose the game, it will be their 19th loss in 29 T20Is since the 2024 World Cup.

Much of South Africa's concerns in phase has been due to their inability to get strong starts. With Quinton de Kock taking a brief hiatus from Proteas colours, they were the worst performing side in Powerplays (among Full Member nations), averaging 20.21. Their scoring rate in this phase - 7.21 - hasn't been too impressive either. Even after de Kock returned, these issues haven't been put to rest in the series so far, with two top order collapses sealing their fate in Cuttack and Dharamsala.

Even as a victory would help level the series, and give them a much-needed sense and confidence in their build-up to the World Cup, there are plenty of other concerns to address.

Despite a plethora of options, they haven't narrowed down on who is best equipped to play the No. 5 role in the team, and what's the best bowling combination that wouldn't make their tail seem too long for their batters to play as freely as they wish.

They have made three changes in each of the two games played so far in this series. It's uncertain if they will continue to experiment in the last game as well, or try out what they believe is their best combination at this point for the final game. Either way, they would hope that some questions, if not all, find their answers before they fly out of India.

When: Friday, December 19, 2025, 7:00 PM IST

Where: India vs South Africa, 5th T20I, Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad

What to expect: The domestic T20 matches that were played at the venue earlier this month, produced high scoring games. There might be some early assistance for the pacers, with dew also likely to play a part. But conditions would be much milder than what was witnessed in the last three games.

Team News

India: There is no official confirmation as yet about Shubman Gill's availability for the fifth T20I. The Indian vice captain had suffered a toe injury during practice ahead of the Lucknow game. Meanwhile, Jasprit Bumrah is likely to return.

Probable XI: Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakarvarthy

South Africa: This is the last chance for the visitors to trial out their experiments in Indian conditions ahead of the next T20 World Cup. The uncertainty over their best No.5 still looms

Probable XI: Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, George Linde, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi/Ottneil Baartman

Did you know?

- South Africa featured in 13 bilateral series since Jan 2023, of which they have won just a solitary series - against Pakistan at home in Dec 2024.

- Shubman Gill's only T20I century has come in Ahmedabad.

- Abhishek Sharma is 47 runs away from surpassing Virat Kohli's 2016 record of 1614 runs - the most by an Indian batter in a calendar year in T20 cricket.

In the spotlight - Marco Jansen and Suryakumar Yadav

This will be remembered as the tour when Marco Jansen realised his enormous potential in all its glory. With bat, ball and in the field, Jansen has been a delight to watch all tour. One final crowning achievement will be if he can win them one last match.

Suryakumar Yadav has had the exact opposite time even though his side continues to win. He has not scored a T20I half-century since last October; his numbers since then: 21 innings, 239 runs, strike rate 119.5. He will want a positive turn before India go into a break of nearly a month.

Pitch and conditions - Warmer climes of Ahmedabad

These are the parts of India that should be hosting international cricket in November, December and first half of January. It is not cold, the light stays on longer, and fog and smog are not an issue. Ahmedabad could finally give us the first close match of the series.

Stats and trivia

• Arshdeep has got Quinton de Kock out five times in 56 balls in all T20 cricket for just 66 runs.
• Ten men have opened in 80 or more T20Is. Among them, only Uganda's Simon Ssesazi has a poorer strike rate than that of Reeza Hendricks, who has scored a three-ball duck and 8 off 10 in this series so far. In 15 innings against India, he has got to 50 only once and has struck at 118.8.

What they said:

"Guys are jamming really well, getting along very well, and everyone knows their role in the team. And I think that's very important" - Anrich Nortje, South African pacer

"I was smart when I bowled, but I didn't know when, how and what to apply. As soon as Gautam (Gambhir) and Surya supported me and told me that I could do it, I put myself in that situation. I realised that I can bowl in challenging situations as well" - Shivam Dube, Indian all-rounder, on his development as a bowler.

IND vs SA Probable Top Performers of the match

Probable Best Batter — Shubman Gill

Shubman Gill. (Photo Source: BCCI)

India vice-captain and attacking opener Shubman Gill returns to his happy-hunting ground, as he has a lot of experience playing at this venue. This is the only venue where Gill scored his only T20I century so far, which came against New Zealand in India's last match at this venue. If the Men in Blue bat first, the 26-year-old is expected to be back among runs, as the ground and the conditions will be favouring the ace batter.

Probable Best Bowler — Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah. (Photo Source: Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

The local boy Jasprit Bumrah will be playing a 20-over international match at his home ground for the first time. He is a master at nailing yorkers and bouncers, while attacking the batters with wicket-to-wicket deliveries. Bumrah also is one of the best bowlers across powerplay and death overs. He will be looking to utilize his experience and skills to produce a memorable outing for him and his team, as India look to take the series.

Today's Match Prediction: Team batting first to win the match

First To Bat

Powerplay: 70-80220-230

First To Bat

Powerplay: 55-65200-210

Win Probability

IND 55%

SA 45%

DISCLAIMER

The prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned, and make your own decision.