IND vs SA Head to Head in T20: India National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team Timeline

India vs South Africa in T20Is There have been plenty of memorable contests between India and South Africa ever since the Proteas made their return to international cricket in 1992. Both teams have had a very healthy rivalry, competing closely in all formats, and their battles across the T20 format add another dimension to this story. Q4) When did the two sides first face each other in a T20I? A) These two teams played their first-ever T20I game against each other on December 1, 2006, at Johannesburg. The two sides have met several times since the historic meeting between the two teams in 1975, serving up a number of great finishes and pressure games throughout the shortest format. While South Africa has had few major wins (including the last one in T20 history) over India, Historian of the game, currently its 6-4 to India on the head to head record between both since 2021.

India vs South Africa Head to Head Record in T20 Internationals 

Currently, India is leading the India vs South Africa Head-to-Head Record in T20 with 21 wins out of 36 matches they have played against South Africa. On the other hand, South Africa has tested success 14 times against India in T20Is. One match between these two teams ended without any result. 

India vs South Africa Head to Head Record in T20 at Home Ground 

India T20 Record at Home Ground Against South Africa 

India has played a total of 17 matches at home against South Africa and won just 8 of them, while South Africa has won 7 of them and one match ended in no result. 

South Africa T20 Record at Home Ground Against India 

South Africa has played 15 T20 matches against India at their home ground, and they have won just 4 of them. On the other side, India has won 11 matches. 

India vs South Africa Head to Head Record in T20 at Away Ground

South Africa T20 Record at Away Ground Against India 

South Africa has played a total of 12 t20 matches in India, out of which they have won six and lost five, and one match ended without a result. 

India T20 Record at Away Ground Against South Africa

India and South Africa faced each other nine times in a t20 match on South African cricket grounds; India has won six out of those nine encounters, while South Africa has won only three of them. 

India vs South Africa Head to Head Record in T20 at Neutral Venues 

At neutral venues, India and South Africa have played 7 times in the t20 format. Out of those 7 matches, India has won 4 while South Africa has won 3. 

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Highest Score in India vs South Africa Head to Head in T20 

India’s 237/3 against South Africa on October 2, 2022, in Guwahati remains the highest score in the India vs South Africa T20 rivalry. 

Highest Score by India Against South Africa in T20 at Home

In the India vs South Africa T20 rivalry, India held the record for the highest score; India made 237/3 vs South Africa in Guwahati on October 2, 2022.

Highest Score by India Against South Africa in T20 at Away 

The highest score in T20Is against South Africa in South Africa is 203/5, which they made on December 14, 2023, in Johannesburg. 

Highest Score by South Africa Against India in T20 at Home 

South Africa posted 219/4 against India on March 30, 2012, in Johannesburg, which is their highest score against India at home. 

Highest Score by South Africa Against India in T20 at Away 

South Africa’s height score against India in T20 on away ground is 227/3, which they made in the Indore T20I on October 4, 2022. 

Lowest Score in India vs South Africa Head to Head in T20 

87 is the lowest score in the India vs South Africa T20 rivalry, which was made by South Africa in the Rajkot T20I on June 17, 2022. 

Lowest Score by India Against South Africa in T20 at Home

In the T20 encounter between South Africa and India, which took place in Cuttack on October 5, 2015, India made their lowest score against South Africa in t20 at home ground, which was 92. 

Lowest Score by India Against South Africa in T20 at Away

During the September 20, 2007 T20 match between South Africa and India at Durban, India recorded their lowest-ever score against South Africa at an away venue; they made 153/5 in this match. 

Lowest Score by South Africa Against India in T20 at Home 

On December 14, 2023, South Africa recorded their lowest total in the T20 against India in Johannesburg. During this t20 match, South Africa managed just 95 runs in 13.5 overs. 

Lowest Score by South Africa Against India in T20 at Away 

At the T20I between South Africa and India, which took place at Rajkot on June 17, 2022, 87 was the lowest score ever recorded by South Africa in a T20 in India. 

Individual Records in India vs South Africa T20 Rivalry 

Most runs in India vs South Africa head-to-head in T20 

South Africa’s David Miller is the batsman with the most runs in the India vs South Africa T20 rivalry, he has made 431 so far against India in T20Is in 17 innings with an average of 43.10 and a best score of 106*. 

Highest score in India vs South Africa head-to-head in T20 

South Africa’s David Miller is the batsman to register the highest score in the India vs South Africa rivalry. He scored 106* against India on October 2, 2022, in Guwahati. 

Most runs in a series in India vs South Africa head-to-head in T20 

Ishan Kishan holds the record for the most runs in a series in the India vs South Africa T20 rivalry. He made 206 runs in a five-match T20 series against South Africa during their 2022 tour of India.

Best bowling figure in an inning in India vs South Africa head-to-head in T20 

Kuldeep Yadav recorded the best figure in an India vs South Africa t20 match when he took five wickets on December 14, 2023, in Johannesburg against South Africa. 

Most wickets in India vs South Africa head-to-head in T20 

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the bowler to take the most wickets in the India vs South Africa T20 rivalry. He took 14 wickets against South Africa in 12 T20I matches. 

Most wickets in a series in India vs South Africa head-to-head in T20 

In a T20 series between India vs South Africa, Bhuvneshwar Kumar took the most wickets. He snatched 7 wickets in three T20 matches during India’s tour of South Africa in 2017–18. 

India National Cricket Team vs South Africa National Cricket Team Timeline: T20I 

India national cricket team vs South Africa national cricket team timeline in T20Is have seen several memorable encounters between the two sides since their first meeting in this format. It is a rivalry that has included the closest of finishes, World Cup classics, exceptional individual displays and quite recently some lopsided wins for either side. India came out on top of the inaugural fixture in shorter formats, but South Africa has continued to prove time and again that they can compete with Men in Blue across all big matches.

The first-ever match to be played in the format between India and South Africa was on 1 December 2006 at Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg. India went on to win that memorable contest by a solitary wicket and it began a rivalry which would deliver many thrilling matches in the next two decades.

2012 T20 World Cup: A One-Run Thriller

Colombo, where one of the more dramatic of its early chapters unfolded during the 2012 ICC T20 World Cup. After India opted to bat first, they scored 152/6 leaving South Africa a tricky but achievable score to chase down.

This chase was brought down to the last over. Albie Morkel and Dale Steyn then came to the crease but South Africa required just 14 runs off six balls with two wickets of their own. India’s Lakshmipathy Balaji bowled the final over with more pressure.

The last six balls of the contest created one of the more unforgettable endings in rivalry: 6, W, 0, 6, W. India ended up winning by just a single run from perhaps the most extraordinary escape and also providing fans one of the closest finishes in terms of margins between India-South Africa T20I history.

2014 T20 World Cup: Virat Kohli Takes Centre Stage

Their rivalry gave us yet another World Cup moment when the two met in the 2014 T20 World Cup semi-final at Dhaka. India played the second semi-final against South Africa, and after winning the toss the Proteas went out to bat first.

Virat Kohli then played a wonderful innings under pressure. His restraint batting saw India home to victory securing the finals. It was one of the most iconic individual performances of India’s T20 World Cup campaign in that year, Kohli’s performance.

2024 T20 World Cup Final: Another Classic 

The vivid rivalry between modern India and South Africa at the T20I level was perhaps best illustrated with the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup in Bridgetown, Barbados. Virat Kohli of India runs from the team wearing black arm bands in memory of victims of COVID-19 pandemic during 1st T20I match between India and South Africa.

The chase, though, saw South Africa swaying on the course of victory. The Proteas needed just 30 runs from the last 30 balls at one point, with the match very much in their favour. But India’s bowlers made a great recovery at this stage.

Amidst this, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya and Arshdeep Singh held their nerves to defend a low score as Suryakumar Yadav’s spectacular boundary catch to dismiss David Miller proved to be one of the iconic moments of the final. This handed India a seven-run win and their second Men’s T20 World Cup following a total of 169/8 by South Africa.

It also rendered the 2024 final all the more significant in this long-running rivalry since, for instance, South Africa had reached their first Men’s T20 World Cup final but fell just short of claiming their first men’s global title.

2025 India vs South Africa T20I Series

In December 2025, India hosted another five-match T20I series as part of the continuing rivalry. India won the series 3-1 and washed out the fourth with no play possible.

India kicked off the series by thrashing South Africa in Cuttack, India won that match by 101 runs. The second match at New Chandigarh saw South Africa level the series by winning it 51 runs. India retook command by winning the third T20I to claim a 2–1 series lead before the fourth match was ruined due to rain.

Ahmedabad gave us another high-scoring contest, this time in the fifth match. India 231/5 (20 Overs): Tilak Varma 73(42), Hardik Pandya 63(25) In their chase, South Africa could only manage 201/8 leaving India winning the match by 30 runs and sealing the series 3-1. Varun Chakaravarthy was especially good with 4/53.

2026 T20 World Cup: South Africa Hit Back

The following big episode came at the 2026 T20 World Cup. The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad hosted a Super Eight match between India and South Africa on 22 February 2026.

This time an impeccably dominant performance from South Africa. They amassed 187/7 in their 20 overs, before the bowlers ripped apart India’s batting. South Africa secured a 76-run victory after bowling India out for 111 in just 18.5 overs.

It was especially notable as it knocked India out of another ICC event where they had previously found some success and satisfied South Africa’s desire for revenge for a defeat to the same opponents at the final stage in the 2024 T20 World Cup. According to match statistics, it was also India’s heaviest defeat by runs in T20 World Cup history.