IND vs SA | 5th T20I | Preview, Prediction, Probable XI, CREX XI

Team India will look to bag the series when they take on South Africa in the fifth and final T20I of the five-match series on Sunday (June 19) at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. 

India all-rounder Hardik Pandya, wicket-keeper batter Dinesh Karthik and young pace sensation Avesh Khan were at their lethal best as the hosts handed South Africa a massive 82 run defeat in the 4th T20I at Rajkot, to level the series 2-2. 

The 37-year-old smashed his maiden T20I fifty (55 off 27) and stitched a crucial 65-run stand with Hardik Pandya (46 off 31) to help India reach a respectable total of 169/6 in 20 overs.  

In reply, Avesh Khan led the pace bowling charge and bagged a four-wicket haul to bowl out South Africa for 87 in 16.5 overs. Yuzvendra Chahal came out best in spin, having scalped two wickets. 

Heading into the fifth and final T20I, team India will hope for Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant, who is yet to fire with the bat to come good and provide much-needed stability to the middle order. 

South Africa, on the other hand, have been hit with several injury concerns ahead of the all-important decider. Captain Temba Bavuma, after taking a couple of blows to his body in Rajkot, retired hurt and is doubtful for the next match. Wayne Parnell and Kagiso Rabada's availability have also been under the scanner. 

The batting onus of the visitors will be on the likes of Quinton de Kock, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen and Rassie van der Dussen while Lungi Ngidi, Keshav Maharaj, and Anrich Nortje are expected to make up the core of the Proteas bowling unit.

All in all, with some of the best T20 players taking the field and either team looking to bag the series, a mouthwatering clash beckons in Bengaluru.

Match Details:

Match: India vs South Africa, 5th T20I

Venue: M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru

Date & Time: June 19 at 7:00 PM IST

Live Streaming: Star Sports & Disney+Hotstar

Pitch Report:

The surface at M.Chinnaswamy Stadium is known for high-scoring affairs and it will be no different on Sunday. The pacers could get some help early on, but the game will be eventually dominated by batters. The spinners will have to depend on the variations to get some help off the surface in the middle overs. We can expect a score of 170-180 at this venue with both the captains looking to bowl first after winning the toss.

Pitch Stats:

Total matches: 8

Matches won bowling first: 5

Matches won batting first: 3

Average 1st Inns scores: 153

Average 2nd Inns scores: 144

Highest Total Recorded: 202/6 (20 Overs) by IND vs ENG

The lowest total recorded: 127/10 (16.3 Overs) by ENG vs IND

Highest Score Chased: 194/3 (19.4 Overs) by AUS vs IND

Lowest Score Defended: 146/7 (20 Overs) by IND vs BAN

Head-To-Head:

Matches Played: 19

India Won: 11

South Africa Won: 8

Key Matchups:

QDK vs Chahal: 54/6 at 122 SR

QDK vs Axar: 89/2 at 151 SR

Miller v Chahal: 74/3 at 176  SR

Miller vs Avesh: 60/2 at 150 SR

Ishan v Rabada: 70/1 at 176 SR

Hardik vs Rabada: 68/2 at 148 SR

Ruturaj vs Nortje: 67/2 at 186 SR

Ruturaj vs Rabada: 51/3 at 121 SR

D Karthik vs Rabada: 21/7 at 70 SR

Rishabh Pant vs Ngidi: 7/2 at 116 SR

Squads:

India: Rishabh Pant (C & WK), Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan, Deepak Hooda, Venkatesh Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Umran Malik

South Africa: Temba Bavuma (C), Quinton de Kock (WK), Dwaine Pretorius, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Wayne Parnell, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Heinrich Klaasen, Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram, Reeza Hendricks

Probable Playing XI:

India: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan, Shreyas Iyer, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan

South Africa: Reeza Hendricks/Temba Bavuma (C), Quinton de Kock (wk), Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller, Heinrich Klaasen, Dwaine Pretorius, Keshav Maharaj, Marco Jansen/Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Anrich Nortje

CREX XI Suggestion:

Wicket-Keeper: Dinesh Karthik

Batters: Ishan Kishan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller

All-Rounders: Hardik Pandya, Dwaine Pretorius 

Bowlers: Harshal Patel, Marco Jansen, Lungi Ngidi, Yuzvendra Chahal

Captain: David Miller

Vice-Captain: Hardik Pandya