India vs South Africa 5th T20 Highlights: Match called off after rain plays spoilsport; series ends level at 2-2

Just in - South Africa captain Temba Bavuma has been ruled out of the series decider after sustaining injury in the previous T20I at Rajkot. Keshav Maharaj is set to lead the side in Bavuma's absence.

The roar for the home side is going to be massive. Bengaluru braces for the all-important series finale. The atmosphere at Chinnaswamy expected to be electric as Pant looks to kick off his captaincy spell on a positive note. Toss coming up soon… stay tuned!

Dinesh Karthik's pyrotechnics has earned him high praise with batting great Sunil Gavaskar calling for his inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad. Karthik also scored 330 runs at a strike rate of over 183 for IPL side RCB. Australia will host T20's showpiece tournament later this year.

South Africa may have outwitted India in the first two games but their performance in first six overs remains a major concern. 

The Proteas batters have had 10 dismissals in the powerplay as compared to India's three. The Indian top-order has three fifties, while South African top-order's highest individual score is 35 so far in the series.

India look to secure first-ever T20I series win against the Proteas at home... and who better than Dinesh Karthik to produce a game-defining show. The seasoned batter seems to be in league of his own. He is constantly reminding selectors of his T20 World Cup ambition.

"I am feeling very secure in this setup. In the last game things didn't go according to plan, but I went and expressed myself today," man of the match Karthik said.

In-form Dinesh Karthik set up the crushing victory with his maiden T20 fifty to lift India from a precarious 81 for 4. Chinnaswamy will be buzzing tonight. RCB's new-found ‘super-hero’ is all set to play in front of his IPL team's fans.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar is just one wicket away from becoming the leading wicket-taker in the powerplay. The Indian has taken 33 wickets in the powerplay, joint most along with Samuel Badree and Tim Southee in T20 Internationals.

Yuzvendra Chahal is the most successful bowler at the venue across the T20s with 57 wickets under his belt. The former RCB tweaker will look to shine on his return to Chinnaswamy. The ground has remained favourable to spinners as compared to pacers irrespective of the format.

With a win in the previous T20, India have an 11-8 head-to-head record against the Proteas. The two have played 19 games so far in the format.

Rishabh Pant has lost all four tosses in the series and it remains to be seen whether the flip of coin goes in his favour, especially when there are chances of rain. "Maybe I will toss with the right hand in the next game and be positive," quipped the India captain.

While Pant is witnessing a lean patch, vice-captain Hardik is enjoying a stellar run since his return to competitive cricket. The Gujarat Titans captain scored 487 runs in the IPL while also chipping in with 8 wickets in this year's IPL.

Pandya has also been in good form during the ongoing five-match series, scoring 117 runs at a strike rate of 153.94, averaging 58.50 in four matches so far.

The previous T20 game at Rajkot was a near-perfect game for the hosts, who set up a series decider in Bengaluru. But stand-in skipper Rishabh Pant perished early once again. The 24-year-old tried to hit a Keshav Maharaj delivery that would have been a wide.

Pant yet again has been criticised for poor shot selection, with legendary Sunil Gavaskar saying it's 'not a good sign. "He hasn't learned. He hasn't learned from his previous three dismissals, Gavaskar said while commentating on Star Sports.

"To keep getting out in the same series in the same manner, for a captain of the Indian team, that's not a good sign."

It had been a rainy few days in Bengaluru - the venue for the fifth and final T20I of the series, and the forecast on Sunday doesn't inspire much confidence.

According to weather.com, ‘thunderstorms’ are expected in the morning hours, as well as near the scheduled start of the game. There are 80% chance of rain during the day, and to make matters worse, a 90% chance of rain during nighttime.

Despite losses in the first two games, India did not change the playing eleven. Avesh felt the pressure after going wicket-less in the first three games but he credited Dravid for showing faith in him. Will India tinker with the winning combination today evening?

"The team hasn't changed over four games, so credit to Rahul sir. He gives chances to everybody and intends to give them a long enough run," said Avesh after the fourth T20I.

The Proteas will look to halt India’s resurgence in the series. Anrich Nortje will have to shoulder the responsibility along with Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi. 

Also, South Africa will miss a leader if Temba Bavuma fails to recover for the virtual final. He suffered a blow to his left elbow in the previous game, leading to him walking off the field.

Hardik Pandya and Dinesh Karthik look to continue their stellar form with the willow. But Shreyas Iyer, who has been tested with short deliveries, needs to find his run-scoring mojo. The Indian had scored three consecutive fifties in the previous T20 assignment against Sri Lanka.

Talking about the spin attack, Chahal found his mojo after being ineffective in the first two games. The leggie has got five wickets in the last two games. He will team up with Axar Patel as the pair looks to provide a challenge to a solid Proteas batting line-up comprising the likes of Quinton De Kock, David Miller and Rassie van der Dussen.

Harshal Patel is the leading wicket-taker in the series with seven with Bhuvneshwar Kumar at second with six scalps. The team will also rely on Avesh Khan, who returned 4/18 in the previous game at Rajkot.

After a disappointing performance with the ball in the first two games, the Indian bowlers redeemed themselves quite a lot within the next two games. Harshal has chipped in with his cutters and pace variation, while Bhuvneshwar remains key for the home side, especially in the first six overs.

India will start as favourites, thanks to their in-form middle order and reliable bowling unit. Harshal, Bhuvneshwar, Avesh and Chahal have shown their brilliance, while Karthik and Hardik are in blistering form.

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Ishan Kishan remain key for India, who will be looking for a steady start irrespective of conditions and surface. Ishan is the highest run-scorer in the series so far, with 191 runs and two half-centuries in four innings. Ruturaj also shone at Vizag to hit 57 off 35 deliveries.

As India look to record a historic come-from-behind series win against the Proteas, the focus remains on captain Rishabh Pant, who has faced criticism for mediocre showing with the bat.

Repeatedly falling into the outside off-stump trap, Pant has scored 29, 5, 6 and 17 in the last four innings.

Hello and welcome to the LIVE coverage of the fifth T20I between India and South Africa! Two defeats and two wins later, India are all set for the final clash at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru! 

After losing the first two games, the team sans Rohit and Virat was pretty much written off by everyone but Pant's men have put on a stellar display in the last two games, checking all boxes to force a decider. Also, India are eyeing their first T20I series win against Proteas on home soil.

The game will start at 07:00 pm. The toss will take place half an hour prior to the start. Stay tuned for live updates!