Hardik Pandya marks his return with powerful fifty to steer India to 175/6 | India vs SA | T20I cricket
Hardik Pandya marks his return with powerful fifty to steer India to 175/6 | India vs SA | T20I cricket
Onmanorama Staff
Published: December 09, 2025 08:53 PM IST
1 minute Read
India’s Hardik Pandya plays a shot during the first T20I against South Africa at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on December 9, 2025. Photo: AFP/ Noah Seelam
Hardik Pandya missed international cricket for two months with an injury, but it turns out India had missed the all-rounder more.
Pandya marked his return with a powerful 59 not out off just 28 balls to steer India to 175/6 in the first T20I against South Africa in Cuttack on Tuesday.
The visitors made sure to disrupt India’s game plan by removing the swashbuckling opening pair of Shubman Gill (4) and Abhishek Sharma (17) early. India lost the top three just after the powerplay overs as skipper Suryakumar Yadav became Lungi Ngidi’s second victim of the night.
Tilak Varma (26) and Axar Patel (23) kept the scoreboard moving, but it wasn’t until Pandya arrived that the runs kept flowing. The stylish batter smashed four sixes and six boundaries.
Jitesh Sharma, who was preferred ahead of Sanju Samson in the wicketkeeper-batter role, made 10 not out off five.
Brief scores: India 175/6 in 20 overs (Hardik Pandya 59 not out, Tilak Varma 26, Lungi Ngidi 3/31, Lutho Simpala 2/38)
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