Axar Patel Ruled Out Of T20I Series Against South Africa: The third match of the ongoing 5-match T20 series between India and South Africa was played on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala. In this match, Team India made a brilliant comeback by winning the third T20 International match and took a 2-1 lead in the series. The next match of the series is to be played on Wednesday i.e. 17th December at Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, before which the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) gave an update.

Actually, star all-rounder Akshar Patel is out of the series. Akshar was not available for selection in the playing eleven even in Dharamshala. In the update released by BCCI, it was said that due to ill health, he has been ruled out of the remaining two matches of the series. However, he is with the team in Lucknow, where his further medical checkup will be done.

Shahbaz Ahmed got a chance in Team India

Bengal all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed has been included in Team India in place of Akshar Patel. Before this, Shahbaz has played three ODIs and two T20 Internationals for India, but his last match in blue jersey was against Afghanistan in Hangzhou during the Asian Games in September 2023. He has dismissed two batsmen so far in the T20 format for the Indian team. At the same time, he has not got a chance to bat yet.

No update on Jasprit Bumrah

BCCI has not yet given any update on star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah. Bumrah was not available for team selection in Dharamshala. Because due to personal reasons he had returned to his home. There has been no official update yet regarding his joining the team. At the same time, in the absence of Bumrah, Harshit Rana played the third T20 International.

Indian team for the last two matches against South Africa:

Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubhman Gill (VC), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Verma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dubey, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakraborty, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed.

India Vs South Africa T20Is Series 2025: The second match of the ongoing 5-match T20 series between India and South Africa was played at the Maharaja Yadvendra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh. During this match, Abhishek Sharma got his name registered in the record book. Abhishek started the Indian innings while chasing the target of 214 runs given by South Africa last night i.e. on December 11, 2025 and scored 17 runs in 8 balls, in which he hit two sixes. Abhishek’s second six was his 50th six in the 19th T20 International match of the year 2025.

Abhishek joins special club with Suryakumar Yadav

Abhishek Sharma has become the second Indian batsman to hit 50 sixes in T20 International in a calendar year. At the same time, before Abhishek, only one player from any full-member country has achieved the feat of hitting 50 or more sixes in T20 International cricket. In the year 2022, captain Suryakumar Yadav played 31 T20 International matches for India, in which he hit a total of 68 sixes. However, the record of hitting most sixes in a calendar year in T20 International cricket (including Full-Member Nation and Associate Nation) is in the name of Austrian batsman Karanbir Singh. So far in the year 2025, Karanbir has hit a total of 122 sixes in 32 matches.

How has been Abhishek’s T20 International career so far?

Abhishek Sharma made his debut in T20 International in the year 2024 against Zimbabwe in Harare. After which, Abhishek has played 31 T20 International matches so far, in which he has scored a total of 1,046 runs at an average of 36.06. Which includes 6 half-centuries and 2 centuries and his strike rate is 188.80. At the same time, Abhishek’s highest score in this format is 135 runs, which he made against England at Wankhede on February 2, 2025. During this inning, Abhishek faced only 54 balls and played a explosive century with a strike rate of 250.00, in which he hit 7 fours and 13 sixes.