South Africa Opts to Bowl First in Decisive T20 Match Against India

In a crucial T20 International match in Ahmedabad, South Africa's captain Aiden Markram won the toss and opted to bowl first against India. With significant player changes, including the return of Jasprit Bumrah and the absence of Shubman Gill due to injury, both teams are gearing up for a decisive showdown. Suryakumar Yadav highlighted the importance of this match as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup. Discover the full details of the teams and the match dynamics.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 19, 2025, 20:37 IST

Match Overview

Ahmedabad: In the fifth and final T20 International held in Ahmedabad, South Africa's captain Aiden Markram won the toss and chose to bowl first against India on Friday.

The South African team made a single adjustment, introducing spin all-rounder George Linde to replace fast bowler Anrich Nortje.

India, on the other hand, welcomed back pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who had missed the previous match in Dharamsala due to personal matters, substituting him for Harshit Rana. Additionally, Washington Sundar took the place of Kuldeep Yadav.

Sanju Samson was brought into the lineup to replace vice-captain Shubman Gill, who was sidelined for the last two matches due to a toe injury.

Suryakumar Yadav, whose team leads the series 2-1, emphasized the importance of this match, especially with the World Cup approaching next year.

He stated, "What we want from this game is more important than winning the series," during the toss.

Teams:

South Africa: Quinton de Kock (w), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram (c), Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, George Linde, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman.

India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (w), Washington Sundar, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh.