Hardik Pandya strikes with a slower ball to remove Dewald Brevis for 31 in IND vs SA 2025 5th T20I [Watch]

India all-rounder Hardik Pandya claimed a crucial wicket by dismissing South Africa’s explosive batter Dewald Brevis in the 5th T20I. The match is being played on Friday, December 19, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

The breakthrough came on the first ball of the 12th over of the Proteas’ innings. Hardik bowled a slower, short-of-a-length delivery outside off, and Brevis went for the pull. The ball took the top edge and sailed towards deep mid-wicket, where Washington Sundar ran to his right and completed the catch.

Watch the video of the wicket here:

The right-handed batter scored 31 off 17 balls, hitting three fours and two sixes. Brevis’ dismissal left the visitors at 122/3 after 11.1 overs.

Meanwhile, chasing 232, South Africa were 130/3 after 12 overs at the time of writing, with Aiden Markram on two and David Miller on seven at the crease. Quinton de Kock had earlier smashed a fifty for the Proteas, scoring 65 off 35 balls before being dismissed by Jasprit Bumrah.

---

Fifties from Hardik Pandya and Tilak Varma help India pile up a massive 231 on the board

Asked to bat first, India’s opening pair of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma added 63 runs off 34 balls for the first wicket. Abhishek scored 34 off 21 before falling as the first dismissal, while Samson contributed 37 off 22 balls.

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav endured yet another disappointing outing, managing just five runs off seven balls before falling to Corbin Bosch. However, Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya launched a spectacular assault, putting together a blistering 105-run partnership off just 44 balls for the fourth wicket.

Hardik scored a rampaging 63 off 25 balls, hitting five fours and as many sixes, while Varma made 73 off 42 balls, laced with 10 fours and a six, as India finished their 20 overs at 231/5.