Who will have the upper hand in the IND vs SA 2nd T20?

The second T20I between India and South Africa will be played today at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, New Chandigarh. The match begins at 7 PM IST, and it will be the first-ever men’s international match at this venue. India currently leads the five-match series 1-0, after a dominant win in the opening match in Cuttack where they crushed South Africa by 101 runs.

India enters this game with strong momentum. The return of Hardik Pandya has boosted the squad significantly—his match-winning 59-run knock and crucial wickets earned him the Player of the Match award in the first T20I. Vice-captain Shubman Gill has also rejoined the side, adding solidity to the top order. Meanwhile, India’s bowlers delivered an exceptional performance in Cuttack, bowling South Africa out for just 74, their lowest T20I total. Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, and Varun Chakravarthy took two wickets each.

As for the Mullanpur pitch, it presents some uncertainty. Although the New PCA Stadium has hosted IPL matches, this is its first international game. The surface has shown mixed behavior in the IPL—some high-scoring matches and some low-scoring ones—making the pitch a mystery for both teams. Dew is expected to play a major role, giving a clear advantage to the team batting second. Bowlers may find it tough to grip the ball in the later overs.

Weather conditions in Mullanpur are expected to be hazy, with temperatures ranging between 19°C to 23°C in the afternoon, dropping to nearly 9°C by evening. The air quality will remain poor, similar to many North Indian regions. Despite this, a good batting wicket and fast outfield may allow both teams to capitalize on scoring opportunities. India will aim to extend their lead, while South Africa will be desperate to make a comeback.

India Squad:

Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana

South Africa Squad:

Quinton de Kock (wk), Aiden Markram (c), Tony de Zorzi, Dewald Brevis, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Keshav Maharaj, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, Reeza Hendricks, Ottneil Baartman, Donovan Ferreira, Kwena Maphaka, George Linde