IND vs SA 5th T20I: Aiden Markram wins toss; South Africa opt to bowl

Aiden Markram (Pic: File Pic)

In the fifth T20I match against Team India, South Africa skipper Aiden Markram won the toss and elected to bowl first at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

The "Men in Blue" have made two changes for the clash - Kuldeep Yadav has made way for Washington Sundar while Jasprit Bumrah has replaced Harshit Rana.

Also, Sanju Samson was included in place of Vice-captain Shubman Gill. The Indian Vice-Captain was ruled out of the last two games due to a toe injury.

Meanwhile, the South African side has picked David Miller over Tristan Stubbs.

After winning the toss, the visitors' captain, Markram, said, "We'll bowl first, hoping for dew later and a batting-friendly surface. The Ahmedabad pitch looks good, and we aim to chase down a target. There's a lot at stake, not just for the series but also with the World Cup on the horizon. Our focus is on finishing the tour positively and levelling the series. George Linde comes in for Anrich Nortje, adding spin to our attack".

With a lead of 2-1 in the five-match T20I series, the "Men in Blue" under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav will be aiming to secure a win to clinch the series.

On the other hand, the Proteas will be looking to secure a draw by winning the clash in Ahmedabad.

Following the toss, Suryakumar said, "We were keen to bat first, given the wicket's promising look. The pitch should hold up well, with minimal dew expected later, so we plan to stack up runs and defend them. The Narendra Modi Stadium is an incredible venue, with an electric atmosphere even when it's not fully packed. We're focused on playing fearless cricket and expressing ourselves, rather than just thinking about the series. Our team combination has a couple of changes, with Bumrah in for Harshit and Washington replacing Kuldeep".

The series serves as a preparatory contest for both the teams ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026.

IND vs SA 5th T20I: Confirmed Playing XI

India: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Jitesh Sharma, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy.

South Africa: Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram (C), Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, George Linde, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman.