Cuttack: Hardik Pandya’s sparkling knock in the first T20I against South Africa wowed a capacity crowd of 46,000-plus at Barabati Stadium here on Tuesday evening.
The allrounder, returning to the Team India playing XI after two-and-a-half months, rescued India on a tricky pitch with a stunning unbeaten 59 off 28 balls (6×4, 4×6). Reduced to 17/2, and then 78/4, Hardik’s electrifying strokeplay lifted India to 175/6.
Hardik, who announced his intention with two sixes in his first four balls off spinner Keshav Maharaj, completed 100 overboundaries in T20I cricket.
MAXIMUMS x 2⃣! 🔥
Hardik Pandya announces his arrival to the crease in style 😎
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/tiemfwcNPh #TeamIndia | #INDvSA | @hardikpandya7 | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/dMCrGJDP4T
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 9, 2025
The ball seemed to stop a bit on the Barabati black-soil track, making power hitting a difficult proposition. Shubman Gill (4) and skipper Suryakumar Yadav perished against Lungi Ngidi, miscuing shots to the outfield.
The red-hot Abhishek Sharma (17) was well caught on the fine-leg boundary by the tall Marco Jansen, who grabbed three catches.
Tilak Varma (26 off 32) and Axar Patel (23 off 21) tried to steady the innings, but it was Hardik’s fireworks which took India past 170.
