“The Night of Fire at Mullanpur: India’s Brave Fight Against South Africa”

 

South Africa Outclasses India by 51 Runs — Levels T20 Series 1-1

In a compelling second T20 International of the five-match series between India and South Africa at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur (New Chandigarh) on Thursday, December 11, 2025, the Proteas delivered a dominant performance to defeat India by 51 runs and level the series 1-1.

Batting And Bowling Performance Of South Africa

🏏 South Africa – Batting Performance (SA Innings: 213/4 in 20 overs)

Batter	Runs	Balls	4s	6s	Strike Rate
Quinton de Kock (c & wk)	90	46	5	7	195.65
Reeza Hendricks	8	10	0	1	—
Aiden Markram (c)	29	26	1	2	—
Dewald Brevis	20	12	—	—	—
Donovan Ferreira	30	9	—	—	—
David Miller	20	12	—	—	—
Extras (b, lb, w)	5	—	—	—	—

• South Africa put up a formidable 213/4 while batting first.

• Quinton de Kock was the standout, smashing a high-impact 90 off 46 balls, anchoring the innings.

• Donovan Ferreira and David Miller both contributed quick cameos to push the total over 210.

---

🎯 South Africa – Bowling Performance (Defending 214)

Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets	Econ
Ottneil Baartman	4.0	0	24	4	6.00
Marco Jansen	4.0	0	25	2	6.25
Lungi Ngidi	3.1	0	26	2	8.21
Lutho Sipamla	4.0	0	46	2	11.50
Donovan Ferreira	2.0	0	18	0	9.00
George Linde	2.0	0	19	0	9.50

• Ottneil Baartman was the star bowler, claiming 4 wickets for just 24 runs to dismantle India’s batting lineup.

• Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi also picked up key wickets, helping to regularly break partnerships and keep India under pressure.

• South Africa’s bowling attack was disciplined and penetrative, effectively defending a large total against a strong Indian batting side. 

South Africa Sets a Big Target

After winning the toss and electing to bat, South Africa posted a challenging total of 213 for 4 in 20 overs. The centerpiece of the innings was veteran opener Quinton de Kock, who smashed a powerful 90 runs, anchoring the Proteas’ batting effort and frustrating the Indian attack. Support came from Donovan Ferreira (unbeaten 30*), ensuring a strong finish to their innings.

India Batting And Bowling Performance

🧑‍🎤 India – Batting Performance (162 all-out in 19.1 overs)

Batter	Runs	Balls	4s	6s	Strike Rate
Tilak Varma	62	34	5	4	~182.35
Jitesh Sharma	27	17	3	1	~158.82
Axar Patel	21	21	2	0	100.00
Hardik Pandya	17	12	1	1	~141.67
Suryakumar Yadav	9	8	1	0	112.50
Shubman Gill	0	1	0	0	0.00
Ruturaj Gaikwad	8	7	1	0	~114.29
Yashasvi Jaiswal	5	5	0	0	100.00
					– 🧠 India Bowling Figures — South Africa Innings (213/4 in 20 overs) Bowler Overs Maidens Runs Wickets Economy Varun Chakravarthy 4.0 0 29 2 7.25 Axar Patel 3.0 0 27 1 9.00 Arshdeep Singh 4.0 0 54 0 13.50 Jasprit Bumrah 4.0 0 51 0 12.75 [Other Bowler]* 2.0 0 — 0 — * Depending on lineup, other bowler might vary — these are the main bowling contributions reflected in reports.  🎯 Key Points from India’s Bowling Performance 🔹 Best Performers Varun Chakravarthy (2/29) — Picked up two crucial wickets and bowled the most effective spell among India’s bowlers, showing good control and variation in conditions.  Axar Patel (1/27) — Broke through with another important scalp, keeping things relatively tighter than others, though still expensive.  🔹 Struggles and Concerns Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah, India’s lead pacers, were expensive on this occasion — both went for plenty of runs without taking wickets, which allowed South Africa to score freely. Arshdeep conceded more than 50 runs and Bumrah also leaked runs at the back end of the innings.  India’s bowlers struggled with consistency, line and length, especially in the powerplay and middle overs, enabling South Africa to post a big total of 213/4 — a score that proved too much for the hosts to chase down.  📌 Summary India’s bowling impact was limited overall; only Chakravarthy and Axar managed breakthroughs. The senior pace duo failed to make decisive inroads, and South African batters took advantage throughout the innings. This bowling performance — conceding over 10 runs per over from several spells — was one of the main reasons India could not defend the target successfully.

*Note: Some players may be approximated from match reports since full individual ball figures are variably reported. 

Key Points from India’s Batting

• Tilak Varma was the lone standout batter for India, scoring a blistering 62 off 34 balls in an aggressive chase attempt. 

• Jitesh Sharma and Axar Patel provided brief resistance with useful contributions, but no other batter could build a big partnership.

• Shubman Gill was dismissed for a golden duck, putting immediate pressure on India’s chase. 

• India never recovered from early setbacks and struggled to keep up with the required run rate, eventually being dismissed before reaching the target. 

• 
  
  
  

India’s Chase Falls Short

Chasing 214 proved too steep a task for the hosts. India managed 162 all out in 19.1 overs, with Tilak Varma playing the lone fighting innings — a commanding 62 off 34 balls — but it wasn’t enough to keep India in the hunt. South Africa’s bowlers, led by Ottniel Baartman (4/24) and backed by disciplined seam bowling from the entire attack, kept the Indian line-up under pressure throughout.

Key Performances and Turning Points

• Quinton de Kock (SA) — Player of the Match — anchored the innings with a brilliant 90, setting the tone for South Africa’s commanding total. 

• Ottniel Baartman (SA) — Four-wicket haul dismantled India’s batting order when it mattered most. 

• Tilak Varma (IND) — A lone light in India’s chase with his aggressive half-century. 

India’s chase never truly took off as they lost wickets at key junctures, including the early dismissal of top-order batters, and were unable to build strong partnerships. The run rate soon climbed beyond reach, and India eventually fell well short of the target. 

Reaction & Next Steps

The victory was a statement from South Africa after their heavy defeat in the series opener, where India had won by 101 runs in Cuttack. 
With the series now level, both teams will regroup ahead of the third T20I in the coming days, where India will look to bounce back and regain momentum in front of its home crowd.

What This Means

• Series Status: Tied 1-1 in the five-match T20I series. 

• India’s Concerns: Inconsistent batting outside of Varma’s effort and a bowling unit that struggled to contain a big total.

• South Africa’s Confidence: Strong all-round display — terrific batting powerplay and a disciplined bowling performance — gives them belief as the series progresses.