India vs South Africa: Hardik Pandya slams India's second-fastest T20I half-century as hosts get 231/5

Hardik Pandya slammed India's second fastest T20I half-century of all time in just 16 balls in the fifth and the final match against South Africa in Ahmedabad on Friday as India finished with a mammoth total of 231/5.

The all-rounder hammered four fours and five sixes in his whirlwind knock. Arriving at 115/3 after the dismissal of Suryakumar Yadav, Pandya launched his first ball for a flat six over long-off against Corbin Bosch.

He took on left-arm spinner George Linde, who had bowled an economical spell until then, for 20 runs, including two fours and two sixes off the four balls he faced in the 14th over. The remining two balls yielded another seven runs, with Tilak Varma slogging a six as well.

Pandya's innings came to an end in the final over when he was dismissed for 63 runs off just 25 balls while attempting a slog over midwicket.

Yuvraj Singh's 12-ball fifty in the 2007 T20 World Cup against England, where he smashed six sixes in an over, remains the fastest to the milestone.

Earlier, Varma got to his half-century before being runout for 73 runs on the penultimate ball. His innings was laced with 10 fours and a six.

Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma provided India with a flying start as the duo added 63 runs within the powerplay.

For South Africa, Corbin Bosch picked up two wickets but conceded 44 runs in three overs. Lungi Ngidi bowled an economical spell of 4-0-27-0, while rest of the bowlers had a day to forget.