In reply to India’s 231 in the first innings of the fifth T20I of the five-match series between India and South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, South Africa made a brutal start in their chase as Quinton De Kock celebrated his 50 in just 30 deliveries. The Proteas took on all the Indian bowlers and managed to put pressure on them.

Something very special was needed from India to break the opening partnership, and Shivam Dube provided them with the same thing. On the third delivery of the seventh over, Reeza Hendricks flicked Varun Chakravarthy into the leg side, where Dube ran to his left and plunked it out of thin air with his left hand.

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It was a superb catch from the Indian all-rounder, who was not in control while taking the catch. Hendricks’s struggling knock off 13 runs in 12 deliveries ended, which was decorated with only one boundary. South Africa ended with 99/1 in nine overs to get the perfect start in the chase.

Shivam Dube’s one-handed spectacular catch goes viral

Earlier in the game, India made a massive score of 231 in their allotted 20 overs thanks to Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya’s 104-run partnership in just 44 deliveries for the fourth wicket, which provided them the platform for the massive score. The latter smashed 63 runs in 25 balls at a strike rate of 252 with the help of five boundaries and five sixes.

Watch the video here: 

𝗜. 𝗖. 𝗬. 𝗠. 𝗜

Need a wicket? Call Varun Chakaravarthy 😎

Shivam Dube with a brilliant catch as #TeamIndia have the 1⃣st wicket 🙌

Updates ▶️ https://t.co/kw4LKLNSl3#INDvSA | @IamShivamDube | @chakaravarthy29 | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/WrDU6bI0uh

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 19, 2025

Meanwhile, Tilak nailed 70 runs in just 42 deliveries at a strike rate of 173.81 with the help of ten boundaries and one six. Even their opening batters, Sanju Samson and Abhisek Sharma, were exceptional in their respective 30+ run knocks at a strike rate of more than 160.

The message was clear from the dressing room as all the batters went hard from the very first delivery of their innings. India had already taken an unassailable lead of 2-1 in the series after their victories in Cuttack and Dharamshala, following a defeat in New Chandigarh.