India breaks record with ninth consecutive home T20I series win, surpassing Australia

The Indian team produced a brilliant performance against South Africa in the five-match T20I series, clinching it 3-1. The fifth and final game was held on Friday, December 19, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, where the Men in Blue set a challenging target of 231 and won the match by 30 runs.

With this series victory, India achieved a new milestone, recording their ninth consecutive bilateral series win at home. This triumph allowed India to surpass Australia, who previously held the record with eight consecutive home series wins. India also occupies third place on the all-time list with seven consecutive home series victories, underlining their dominance in T20 cricket on home soil.

In the fifth game, India posted 231/5, powered by Tilak Varma’s 73 off 42 balls and Hardik Pandya’s explosive 63 off 25 deliveries. Opener Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson provided a solid start, helping India reach a formidable total. From the South African bowling attack, Corbin Bosch was the most successful, taking 2/44.

In reply, South Africa managed 201/8, with Quinton de Kock scoring a valiant 65. However, the rest of the batting lineup struggled to build partnerships. India’s Varun Chakravarthy was the star with the ball, claiming 4/53 in the final match and finishing the series with 10 wickets, earning him the Player of the Series award. This series win highlighted India’s depth in both batting and bowling, consolidating their position as one of the strongest T20 sides in the world.

“The brand of cricket we wanted to play was the same, the result was in front of us. This [intent-laden effort] was missing, glad we were able to replicate. Wanted to bowl Bumrah one over in PP, one in middle post-drinks and then in the end. We were challenged, but this game is about how you come back. Good challenging series, we did what we could. The only thing is we couldn’t find Surya the batter, I think he’s missing somewhere. But he’ll come back strong. As a leader, I am very pleased with how the series went,” Suryakumar Yadav said in the post-match presentation.