2024 T20 World Cup finalists India and South Africa will meet in a five-match series, and recent encounters between them showcase their dynamic rivalry, where momentum can quickly change from game to game. Check out the India National Cricket Team Vs South Africa National Cricket Team Match Scorecard to see detailed results, key performances, and match outcomes from their previous clashes.
Aiden Markram’s 61 under pressure nearly brought South Africa within range, but they ultimately fell seven wickets short. Indian bowlers Varun Chakravarthy and Arshdeep Singh did an outstanding job of restricting South Africa to just 117/10 in 20 overs.
| Date | Format | India Score | South Africa Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Dec 2025 | T20I | 120/3 (15.5 ov) | 117/10 (20.0 ov) | India won by 7 wickets (AiScore) |
| 11 Dec 2025 | T20I | 162/10 (19.1 ov) | 213/4 (20.0 ov) | South Africa won by 51 runs (AiScore) |
| 9 Dec 2025 | T20I | 175/6 (20.0 ov) | 74/10 (12.3 ov) | India won (SA bowled out) (AiScore) |
| 6 Dec 2025 | ODI | 271/1 (39.5 ov) | 270/10 (47.5 ov) | India won by 1 wicket (AiScore) |
| 3 Dec 2025 | ODI | 358/5 (50.0 ov) | 362/6 (49.2 ov) | South Africa won by 4 wickets (AiScore) |
Head to Head
India and South Africa’s rivalry has produced consistently competitive cricket in all forms since the Proteas returned from international isolation after apartheid isolation. The 2025 series perfectly demonstrated this rivalry, as South Africa claimed Test series victories at Kolkata and Guwahati before India staged an incredible comeback to win 2-1 despite South Africa chasing down 358 runs at Raipur. Both sides have increased their white-ball cricket abilities significantly over recent years demonstrating there’s no one team that enjoys an insurmountable lead over one another over time.
South Africa holds a slight edge against India in head to head Test matches, having won 52 out of 47 encounters so far. Both sides have played 31 ODIs against each other with South Africa winning 18 of them to 13 for an 18-13 series lead; however this gap has closed as India improves their batting consistency and bowling depth in bilateral series, and also leads the T20I series 19-13 – cementing itself as their strongest form against Proteas.
Rohit Sharma leads India in One Day Internationals (ODIs), scoring 212 runs at an average of 61 and hoping to add to that impressive total against South Africa’s Proteas outfit. Quinton de Kock has also been impressive, nearing 13,000 international runs!
Both teams will aim to avoid injuries before starting the ODI series, with Shubman Gill likely missing due to back discomfort and Vihaan Malhotra having wrist issues that will likely require him to sit out the series. Vaibhav Suryavanshi will lead India for their opening match at Benoni.
Both teams possess balanced squads that combine experienced players with rising youngsters. South Africa will be led by Aiden Markram as captain, along with wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock and fast bowlers Reeza Hendricks and Dewald Brevis. India will benefit from Hardik Pandya returning as captain, joining fellow fast bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy to form an unbeatable line-up.
Players Comparison
India and South Africa has developed into one of the premier rivalries in world cricket. Both sides have battled hard in every format, with momentum shifting regularly between sides. South Africa has maintained home dominance while India have improved white ball formats making this clash an exciting spectacle to watch – as seen during 2025 Test series in India where both sides showed solid performances from both squads.
Teams feature balanced squads with distinct strengths that contribute to close matches. Both sides boast world-class players such as Sachin Tendulkar and Jacques Kallis who have led their respective sides with impressive run totals, while Anil Kumble and Dale Steyn also made significant impacts with their bowling skill – Kumble’s spin bowling being especially potent against Indian batsmen while Steyn’s pace bowling assault posed serious threats for Indian opponents.
India has recently seen their limited-overs cricket performance increase exponentially, cementing them at the top of ODI rankings. After dominating South Africa in three ODIs in a row and dominating Champions Trophy competition to secure victory – all to much fanfare from Indian fans – their recent form has cemented India’s place at the top. Furthermore, their Men in Blue are revered as champions at major tournaments such as World Cup and T20 World Cup competitions.
South Africa have struggled in ODI cricket recently, particularly against India in this format. Yet they remain powerful rivals who will look to prove their mettle against South Africa this time.
ODIs against India will provide South Africa an ideal chance to regain lost ground. Without Ayush Mhatre available, Vaibhav Suryavanshi will assume captaincy duties for this series and fans are eager to see how he handles his responsibility without Mhatre present. South Africa boasts plenty of talent that they hope to harness against home conditions for victory in these crucial matches.
Stats
Since their return from apartheid isolation, India and South Africa have engaged in high-quality cricket across all formats since. South Africa holds the edge when it comes to Test matches; winning 16 out of 44. But recent series have proven that momentum constantly shifts with neither side able to establish sustained dominance; South Africa won two-two Test series wins at Kolkata and Guwahati as well as taking three one-day internationals and winning one one-day series victory while India claimed two one-day wins as examples of this intense rivalry while recently concluded T20I in New Chandigarh provided another demonstration that both teams possess great talent capable of producing thrilling cricket matches!
India have made significant strides forward in white-ball cricket, evidenced by their 2024 T20 World Cup Final victory. South Africa will present them with challenging conditions which will put their batting depth and bowling strength under strain; yet, as evidenced in this series both teams can produce captivating cricket regardless of venue or format.
Jasprit Bumrah made history when he became the fastest bowler ever to reach 100 wickets in T20 International cricket, and will look to add to this impressive tally when India and South Africa face each other at Mullanpur Stadium on December 14, 2025.
South Africa will look to build on their 2-1 ODI series win against India and make an impressionful statement at Mullanpur Stadium. Led by Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram, South Africa have proved themselves as a powerful force; however, injuries have curtailed their chances for series victory. If South Africa are to overcome India’s superior batting quality and bowling depth on match day, they must bring all their resources.
Where to Watch
Starting on Tuesday at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack, India will play South Africa in a five-match Twenty20 International series that can only be described as high scoring. Both sides hope to reverse previous results by dominating each other during this high-scoring battle, making this game one to watch online, on television or mobile device. Here’s how you can watch.
Star Sports Network will broadcast the inaugural T20I live, so be sure to tune in at these times:
In India, you can watch the match on JioHotstar app and website; streamers outside India can use Fox Sports which will stream it across multiple apps such as Fox Sport and Kayo Sports with free trials available for both services; these services require paid subscription but you can get one month free when signing up now.
India won the toss and elected to bat first, taking full advantage of the favorable batting conditions. Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson set an aggressive opening stand of 63 runs in just 5.4 overs, leading to India reaching 231 for 5 at the end of their powerplay innings. Unfortunately for them however, South African bowlers managed to contain them, so by Hardik Pandya coming in they were well behind in score.
The final T20I will take place at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados and promises to be an exciting high-stakes match – the winner taking home the series trophy. You can follow all the action with DStv Access packages starting from R99 ($5.66) per month; alternatively if travelling abroad you may consider using NordVPN which offers 75% discounts right now on its plans – unblock your favorite streaming services while not violating broadcaster T&Cs; also support up to three devices simultaneously plus sign up for their 30-day free trial offer!
