Match overview
South Africa beat India by 4 wickets at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on 3 December 2025, chasing down a target of 359 with three centuries shared across the match. India posted 358 for 5 in their 50 overs, built on hundreds from Ruturaj Gaikwad (105 off 83 balls) and Virat Kohli (102 off 93 balls). South Africa's reply was driven by AK Markram, whose 110 off 98 balls earned him the Player of the Match award. It was a closer finish than the margin suggests: South Africa lost 4 wickets for 80 runs in the death overs before crossing the line at 362 for 7.
The match produced three individual centuries, which is exceptionally rare in ODI cricket. All three batters made their contributions in different ways: Gaikwad was the aggressor, Kohli the accumulator, and Markram the chase-anchor. Between them, they turned a match that could have gone either way into two sustained periods of batting dominance.
Venue and conditions
Raipur's Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium has hosted 24 ODIs with an average first-innings score of 155 and an average second-innings score of 148. Both these totals are modest by current ODI standards, which makes what happened here on 3 December all the more remarkable. The average powerplay score at this ground is 41 runs; India's powerplay produced 66 runs for 2 wickets, already well ahead of the norm.
The venue historically favours chasing sides at a 58% success rate, and South Africa's decision to field after winning the toss followed the ground's typical pattern. Teams winning the toss have chosen to field in 58% of matches here. Pitches at Raipur tend to be good for batting as the innings progresses, which the middle-overs phases of both innings confirmed: India's overs 11 to 40 yielded 218 runs for 2 wickets, and South Africa's equivalent phase produced 231 for 2. In that context, the death-overs swing for South Africa (4 wickets for 80 runs) reflects the difficulty of accelerating under pressure rather than any late deterioration of the surface.
How to watch
India versus South Africa ODIs are broadcast in the UK on Sky Sports Cricket, with live streaming available through Sky Go and NOW TV for subscribers. Sky Sports typically carries the full series schedule across all formats. For fans without a Sky subscription, the NOW TV Day Pass offers a flexible option. Check the Sky Sports app or website for confirmed UK broadcast times, keeping the difference between IST (Indian Standard Time) and GMT in mind when planning viewing.
Recent form
The Raipur result fits into a closely contested recent run between these two sides. India came into the match having won three of their last four meetings against South Africa, including a 7-wicket win in Dharamsala and a 101-run victory at Barabati. South Africa's wins in that same period included a 51-run result at Mullanpur and, following Raipur, a 76-run win at Narendra Modi Stadium in 2026.
For India, the Raipur loss was the second consecutive defeat to South Africa in a short run of form that also included a no result against Australia and a win in that same series. South Africa meanwhile split their recent Pakistan fixtures, winning one and losing one, before the Raipur result. On current evidence, this rivalry is in a tight phase with neither side able to build sustained momentum over the other.
