India Masters vs South Africa Masters IML T20 2025 Highlights: Rayudu, Negi steer India Masters to an eight-wicket win

Ambati Rayudu smashes Garnett Kruger for a hat-trick of boundaries in the 11th over before Pawan Negi seals an eight-wicket victory for his team with a six later in the over as India Masters cruise to an eight-wicket win with nine overs to spare!

They remain top of the points table with a performance that is as comprehensive as it can get!

Ambati Rayudu is batting on 28 with Pawan Negi, who smashes Henry Davids for back-to-back boundaries in the 10th over, batting on 15.

The two have added 43 for the third wicket and will be aiming to guide the Men in Blue home from here. IND-M 70/2 after 10

Tshabalala and Leie bowl out their final overs of the evening, finishing with figures of 1/20 and 1/32 respectively. The latter signs off on an expensive note as he leaks 18 runs, with Rayudu taking full toll by smashing him for back-to-back boundaries in the first two deliveries.

India Masters breach fifty after the big over, and suddenly find themselves on the verge of a third consecutive victory. IND-M 52/2 in 8

Rayudu had been dealing with a niggle earlier in the South African innings, and the situation only gets worse for him after colliding with Eddie Leie at the non-striker’s end while attempting to collect a quick single in the final delivery of the powerplay.

He does get up though after a bit of medical attention, much to the relief of the Indian dugout and those present at the BCA Stadium. IND-M 29/2 after 6; need 57 to win off 84

“SACHIN! SACHIN!” chants reverberate around the Baroda Cricket Association Stadium as India Masters begin their chase of the modest 86-run target set by South Africa Masters.

Proteas skipper Jacques Kallis decides to take a leaf out of his Indian counterpart Tendulkar’s book and opts to start with spin as Thandi Tshabalala bowls the first over.

Here’s Rahul Sharma’s hat-trick in the fifth over of the South African innings, castling Hashim Amla before trapping Jacques Kallis and Jacques Rudolph LBW

𝐑𝐚𝐡𝐮𝐥, 𝐧𝐚𝐚𝐦 𝐭𝐨𝐡 𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐚 𝐡𝐨𝐠𝐚! 😎🎬

3️⃣rd time's a charm indeed! Watch Rahul Sharma pull off the #IMLT20's first hattrick in style 🤙📈#TheBaapsOfCricket #IMLonJioHotstar #IMLonCineplex pic.twitter.com/VGXxDlptzi

— INTERNATIONAL MASTERS LEAGUE (@imlt20official) March 1, 2025

Stuart Binny doesn’t get to bowl a full over, collecting the final wicket of the innings by dismissing Tshabalala shortly after castling Makhaya Ntini. Tshabalala attempts to launch the ball down the ground, but can only chip the ball straight to Mithun at mid off.

Unless the Proteas are able to produce something special with the ball later in the evening, India Masters should have little difficulty collecting their third consecutive win tonight!

Yuvraj Singh collects his third wicket as Dane Vilas departs for 21 after getting castled while attempting a cheeky shot against the left-arm spinner.

Seamer Stuart Binny then strikes first ball in the very next over, sending Makhaya Ntini back to the pavilion in the process. SA-M 84/9 after 13.1 overs

India Masters skipper Sachin Tendulkar brings a seamer back into the equation after nine consecutive overs of spin, with Irfan Pathan bowling the 12th.

The all-rounder concedes nine, with Vilas collecting a four in the second delivery after cutting the ball through point, with a misfield by Stuart Binny allowing the ball to roll past the boundary rope. SA-M 77/7 after 12

Sachin Tendulkar’s decision to stick to spin after Rahul Sharma and Pawan Negi bowl out their quota of overs pays off brilliantly as left-arm spinner Yuvraj Singh removes Vernon Philander and Garnett Kruger in successive deliverie!

‘Big Vern’ misses the ball completely after charging down the track, hearing the death rattle as a result while Kruger is trapped leg-before next ball while attempting to block the ball.

Thandi Tshabalala, however, denies ‘Yuvi’ a hat-trick by safely negotiating the next ball.

End of the powerplay, with South Africa Masters reaching 44/3 at the end of six overs.

Eight runs conceded by Pawan Negi in the sixth over, including a boundary in the final delivery to Henry Davids, who moves into the 30s and will need to bat till the end if the Proteas are to post a competitive total.

RAHUL SHARMA COLLECTS A HAT-TRICK! The leg-spinner achieves the elusive feat after trapping Jacques Rudolph LBW! The southpaw goes for the review immediately after the umpire raises his finger, and ends up getting two reds along with ‘Umpire’s Call’.

The leg-spinner nearly collects a fourth wicket in the over after keeper Ambati Rayudu puts down a chance following an outside edge by Henry Davids. SA-M 36/3 after 5

Two-in-two for Rahul Sharma as he gets rid of Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis in successive deliveries!

Amla misses the ball completely while attempting a wild slog across the line against leg-spinner Rahul Sharma, resulting in the ball crashing into the stumps!

Skipper Kallis departs for a golden duck right after as he is trapped LBW while attempting a sweep, though his Indian counterpart Tendulkar has to take it upstairs after the decision is originally ruled in favour of the batter. SA-M 35/2 after 4.2 overs

Here are the playing XIs for the India Masters vs South Africa Masters match in Vadodara:

India Masters: Sachin Tendulkar(c), Ambati Rayudu(w), Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Stuart Binny, Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Pawan Negi, Dhawal Kulkarni, Abhimanyu Mithun, Rahul Sharma

South Africa Masters: Hashim Amla, Jacques Rudolph, Jacques Kallis(c), Dane Vilas(w), Henry Davids, Farhaan Behardien, Vernon Philander, Eddie Leie, Garnett Kruger, Makhaya Ntini, Thandi Tshabalala

Both teams make changes to their lineup – India bringing Rahul Sharma in place of R Vinay Kumar, boosting their spin department in the process.

South Africa, meanwhile, make two changes – Henry Davids and Farhaan Behardien coming in place of Alviro Petersen and Morne van Wyk.

Sachin Tendulkar has been turning back the clock in the 2025 International Masters League T20, producing the kind of shots that continues to enthrall Indian cricket fans more than a decade after his retirement.

The Jacques Kallis-led South Africa Masters team have played just one game so far in IML T20 2025 – against Sri Lanka Masters in Navi Mumbai. The Proteas posted a competitive 180/6 on the board thanks mainly to Hashim Amla’s 76 off 53 balls.

South Africa Masters, however, couldn’t defend the total despite collecting three wickets in quick succession as half-centuries by Asela Gunaratne (59 not out) and Chinthaka Jayasinghe (51 not out) were enough to guide the Lankans to a seven-wicket victory with nearly three overs to spare.

Here are the full squads of the India Masters and South Africa Masters teams, led by batting legend Sachin Tendulkar and iconic all-rounder Jacques Kallis respectively:

India Masters Squad: Sachin Tendulkar(c), Naman Ojha(w), Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Irfan Pathan, Vinay Kumar, Dhawal Kulkarni, Abhimanyu Mithun, Rahul Sharma, Shahbaz Nadeem, Pawan Negi, Ambati Rayudu, Stuart Binny

South Africa Masters Squad: Hashim Amla, Morne van Wyk(w), Alviro Petersen, Jacques Kallis(c), Jacques Rudolph, Dane Vilas, Vernon Philander, Garnett Kruger, Eddie Leie, Makhaya Ntini, Thandi Tshabalala, Henry Davids, Jonty Rhodes, Farhaan Behardien, Jean-Paul Duminy

Here’s how the Sachin Tendulkar-led India Masters has fared so far in the 2025 International Masters League T20 event:

vs Sri Lanka Masters in Navi Mumbai on 22 February: India Masters won by 4 runs

vs England Masters in Navi Mumbai on 25 February: India Masters won by 9 wickets