Pandyas fiery fifty steers India to series-clinching win over South Africa

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Dec 19 - Hardik Pandya hit five sixes en route to a 16-ball half-century as his quick-fire 105-run partnership with Tilak Varma set up Indias 30-run win over South Africa on Friday, clinching the five-match Twenty20 series 3-1 in Ahmedabad.

Chasing 232, South Africa got off to a fast start thanks to Quinton de Kocks 65 off 35 balls, but fell short after the opener was caught and bowled by Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakravarthy took wickets with back-to-back balls.

Put in to bat, India shrugged off the absence of Shubman Gill, who had injured his right foot in training, as Sanju Samson (37) and Abhishek Sharma (34) added 63 runs for the first wicket in 5.4 overs, before Corbin Bosch had Sharma caught behind.

Samson tried to whip Donovan Ferreira down the ground but the ball hit umpire Rohan Pandit on the shin and he required medical assistance before he was able to continue.

George Linde dismissed Samson soon after, as the hosts hit only one boundary between the 10th and 12th overs. But Pandya, in at five, smashed Bosch for six on his first ball, hitting a cameraman at long off who required medical treatment.

A relentless Pandya (63 off 25 balls) allowed only one dot ball before scoring the second fastest half-century by an Indian in mens T20 internationals, after Yuvraj Singhs 12-ball fifty against England in 2007.

Pandya was caught at deep midwicket in the last over before Varma, who added a steady 73 runs from 42 balls, got out trying to steal a single, as India posted 231-5.

CHAKRAVARTHY TAKES FOUR WICKETS

De Kock hit three boundaries in the first over and