Last Updated:December 09, 2025, 21:50 IST
Hardik Pandya returned from injury with a stunning unbeaten 59 off 28 balls, hitting 4 sixes and 6 fours, powering India to 175/6 against South Africa in the 1st T20I in Cuttack.
Hardik Pandya smashes a 25-ball fifty against South Africa in Cuttack [BCCI Photo]
Hardik Pandya made a sensational return to international cricket after an injury layoff on Tuesday when India took on South Africa in the 1st T20I in Cuttack. While the Indian batters kept falling to the Proteas attack, Pandya orchestrated the Indian innings with a superb 25-ball half-century. The ace all-rounder smashed 4 sixes and 6 fours during his 28-ball stay at the crease, scoring an unbeaten 59. His whirlwind knock helped India post 175/6 in 20 overs after being asked to bat first.
Pandya amplified India’s scoring rate right after taking strike. He made his intentions clear with back-to-back sixes off Keshav Maharaj in the 13th over, then went after Anrich Nortje in the 15th, picking up a couple of crisp boundaries. Lutho Sipamla, who had earlier dented India with two wickets, wasn’t spared either. Pandya smashed him for a six and a four in the 19th.
He kept the momentum rolling in the final over, taking 11 off Nortje and finishing with a commanding 59* off just 28 balls.
On a fresh red-soil surface with two-paced bounce, India faced early difficulties after being sent in to bat. Abhishek Sharma (17), Shubman Gill (4), and Suryakumar Yadav (12) were all dismissed within the first seven overs, as Lungi Ngidi (3/31) expertly utilized the conditions with clever variations.
Ngidi dismissed Gill early, who chipped the ball to Jansen at mid-off, and later had skipper Suryakumar caught by Aiden Markram. During the powerplay, Gill and Suryakumar faced most of the deliveries, with Abhishek getting just nine balls in the first six overs.
Abhishek attempted to accelerate immediately after the field restrictions were lifted but fell to Sipamla, thanks to a stunning sliding catch by the 2.06m Jansen, who sprinted across from long leg to fine leg.
Abhishek’s brief innings of 17 off 12 balls ended just as he began to find his rhythm with consecutive boundaries. India made notable selection decisions, choosing Jitesh Sharma over Sanju Samson for the wicketkeeper’s role, while Hardik returned to lead the all-round options.
The Gambhir-led setup also selected another like-for-like all-rounder in Shivam Dube.
(With Agency Inputs)
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Cuttack, India, India
First Published:
December 09, 2025, 20:55 IST
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