South Africa’s commanding 51-run victory over India in Mullanpur on Thursday did more than level the five-match series 1-1. It pushed the Proteas to the top of an unwanted list for India, marking the 13th time they have beaten India in T20Is. No other team has defeated India as many times in the format. Australia and England trail with 12 wins each.
Most wins against India in T20Is
13 – South Africa (33 matches)
12 – Australia (37 matches)
12 – England (29 matches)
10 – New Zealand (25 matches)
10 – West Indies (30 matches)
South Africa’s fast bowlers delivered a statement performance. For the first time in T20I cricket, their pacers took all ten Indian wickets in an innings. It also stands as India’s worst collapse against pace in T20Is, beating their previous lows against the West Indies in 2022 and Pakistan in the 2024 World Cup.
Most wickets lost vs pace by India in a T20I innings
10 vs South Africa, Mullanpur, 2025
9 vs West Indies, Basseterre, 2022
9 vs Pakistan, New York, 2024
India’s chase never looked steady. Set a steep 214 after Quinton de Kock’s explosive 90 off 46 balls, India were bowled out for 162 in 19.1 overs. The loss reinforced a nagging truth: India have never chased down a target of 210 or more in T20Is. Their record now stands at seven attempts and seven failures.
The defeat also ranks among India’s heaviest T20I losses by runs, second only to the 80-run loss to New Zealand in Wellington in 2019.
India’s biggest defeats in T20Is (by runs)
80 vs New Zealand, Wellington, 2019
51 vs South Africa, Mullanpur, 2025
49 vs Australia, Bridgetown, 2010
49 vs South Africa, Indore, 2022
47 vs New Zealand, Nagpur, 2016
After being bowled out for 74 in Cuttack, South Africa’s turnaround was strong and decisive. De Kock led the charge with seven sixes, while Donovan Ferreira’s quick 30 off 16 added 49 runs in the final three overs. Ottneil Baartman, one of the fresh inclusions, finished with an impressive 4 for 24.
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India’s batting faltered early. Shubman Gill departed in the opening over, Abhishek Sharma showed flashes of brilliance, and Suryakumar Yadav’s lean patch continued. Tilak Varma top-scored with a spirited 62 off 34, but it wasn’t enough to prevent India’s first T20I defeat in 14 matches with both Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh in the playing eleven.
The series now heads to Dharamsala for the third T20I on Sunday, where India will search for answers and momentum ahead of the T20 World Cup on home soil in February.
