The India vs South Africa 2nd T20I in Mullanpur didn’t go India’s way. From the very first over, South Africa looked sharp, and Quinton de Kock completely took control of the match. He smashed a brilliant 90 off 46 balls, hitting seven huge sixes and putting India under pressure right away.
South Africa ended their innings at a massive 213/4, thanks to late hits from Donovan Ferreira and David Miller. India’s bowling, especially in the death overs, was not in the form that it could hold off the South African batters from hitting the big shots. Arshdeep Singh had a very rough time; he became the most expensive bowler today by giving away 54 runs in his four overs.
When the chase began, the India vs South Africa match quickly slipped away from Team India’s hands. Shubman Gill got out for a golden duck, and both Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav followed soon after. India were suddenly 51/3, and the required run-rate shot up.
The only noteworthy innings from India’s batting line-up today came from Tilak Varma, who showcased a brilliant performance and scored 62 off 34 balls. Throughout his entire innings, Verma looked calm and confident and tried his best to keep the India vs South Africa contest alive. But with wickets falling at the other end, the chase never had momentum.
Hardik Pandya couldn’t find his timing, and the lower order didn’t contribute much either. India were bowled out for 162, losing the match by 51 runs.
On the bowling front for South Africa, Ottneil Baartman was the standout, picking up 4 wickets for 24 runs and breaking India’s hopes every time they tried to rebuild.With the South African team winning this match, the India vs South Africa T20I series is now level at 1-1, setting up an exciting third match, which is scheduled on December 17, 2025, at Dharamshala.