In a stunning turnaround at the New Chandigarh Stadium in Mullanpur, South Africa leveled their five-match T20I series against India 1-1 with a commanding 51-run victory on December 11, 2025.
The Proteas posted a mammoth 213/4 after being put in to bat, thanks to Quinton de Kock's explosive 90 off 46 balls. India, chasing 214, crumbled to 162 all out in 19.1 overs—their biggest T20 defeat by runs on home soil—highlighting a batting collapse despite Tilak Varma's gritty 62.
The match began with skipper Suryakumar Yadav winning the toss and electing to bowl first, banking on the tricky pitch and potential dew later. But South Africa made light work of the conditions. De Kock's fiery knock, featuring nine fours and five sixes, set the tone.
He raced to a 26-ball fifty and forged an 83-run stand with Aiden Markram (29 off 26). Reeza Hendricks fell early for 8 to Varun Chakaravarthy, but de Kock's assault pushed SA to 90/1 by the 10th over.
Dew played its part early, with Arshdeep Singh leaking seven wides in the 11th over alone, helping SA cross 100 in just 10.3 overs. Chakaravarthy struck twice more—dismissing Markram and stumping de Kock for a near-century via Jitesh Sharma's sharp glovework.
David Miller (25 off 13) and Donovan Ferreira (34 off 19) then unleashed a blistering 53-run partnership off 23 balls, including Ferreira's monstrous 90-meter six off Jasprit Bumrah. SA finished at 213/4, a total that looked unbeatable.
India's chase unraveled from the start. Opener Shubman Gill fell for a golden duck to Lungi Ngidi, edging to slip. Abhishek Sharma, in red-hot form, smashed a six but holed out for 17 off 8 to Marco Jansen.
Suryakumar Yadav followed for a duck—5 off 4—caught behind off Jansen, leaving India at 51/3 after the powerplay. Axar Patel (21 off 21) and Hardik Pandya (20 off 23) offered brief resistance, but the middle order imploded.
Tilak Varma emerged as the lone warrior, blending caution with aggression for his 34-ball 62, including a stylish six to reach fifty.
He shared a 51-run stand with Pandya, but wickets tumbled—Pandya caught at midwicket, Jitesh Sharma (27 off 17) bowled attempting a big hit, and Shivam Dube (1) castled. Ottneil Baartman starred with 4/36, his disciplined lengths dismantling India.
Lungi Ngidi and Lutho Sipamla chipped in with key strikes, while George Linde kept things tight.
Post-match, a candid Suryakumar Yadav reflected: "We bowled first and couldn't adapt to the lengths. Dew hurt us, but it's a learning process.
Shubman and I needed to give a better start—we can't rely on Abhishek every time. Tilak fought hard, but we must stabilize the batting." De Kock pocketed Player of the Match for his match-winning blitz.
This loss exposes India's top-order frailties at home, especially after their first-game triumph. With the series poised at 1-1, the third T20I on December 14 could be a turning point.
Can the Men in Blue regroup, or will SA's bowling depth dominate again? Fans, stay tuned for live updates—cricket's drama never ends.
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