Flying ants caused a surprising interruption in the India vs South Africa T20I match, forcing players to momentarily leave the field. The odd pause happened after India’s bowler Arshdeep Singh was seen swatting away insects, with Hardik Pandya looking frustrated while preparing for his first over.

Leading India's innings, Tilak Varma made headlines with his first T20I century, powering India to an impressive 219/6 against South Africa. The young star struck an unbeaten 107 off just 57 balls, smashing seven sixes and eight fours to mark his milestone international hundred. Varma’s century helped India set their second-highest T20I total against South Africa. Supporting Varma, Abhishek Sharma delivered a brisk 50 off 25 balls after South African captain Aiden Markram opted to bowl first.

The partnership between Varma and Sharma added 107 runs for the second wicket, providing a solid foundation after the early loss of Sanju Samson, who fell for a duck for the second consecutive match. Despite a middle-order stumble, Varma’s fierce hitting added 52 runs in just 22 balls in the last six overs, keeping India in control. Sharma’s half-century, studded with five sixes and three fours, set India up nicely, though South African spinner Keshav Maharaj (2/36) tried to slow the scoring by dismissing key players Suryakumar Yadav (1), Hardik Pandya (18), and Rinku Singh (8) in quick succession. Yet, Varma’s aggressive strokeplay kept India’s innings alive, punishing South Africa’s bowlers and propelling India to a formidable total.

Earlier, opener Sanju Samson suffered another setback, dismissed by Marco Jansen for a duck when a low bounce caught him off-guard on his second ball. This marked the second consecutive game where Samson failed to score, following his century in the series opener.

After the brief insect interruption, the match resumed, unfolding as a thrilling display. Varma’s exceptional century will likely stand out as one of the series' highlights, marking a memorable performance in India’s T20I history against South Africa.