IND vs SA T20 2025: Hardik Pandya stars on return as India bag series opener against South Africa
Led by Hardik Pandya’s unbeaten half-century, the Indian cricket team beat South Africa by 101 runs in the opening game of the five-match IND vs SA T20I 2025 series at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Tuesday.
Batting first, world No. 1 India posted a competitive 175/6 in their 20 overs, riding on a blistering 59 off 28 balls from Hardik Pandya after a shaky start. Lungi Ngidi led South Africa’s bowling attack with figures of 3/31.
South Africa’s chase of 176 unravelled quickly, with the team bowled out for 74 in 12.3 overs. Jasprit Bumrah became the second Indian bowler to take 100 or more wickets in T20I cricket after Arshdeep Singh.
Put into bat, India were jolted early after losing a couple of wickets inside the first three overs. Shubman Gill struck a boundary off his first ball but was dismissed almost immediately while Indian T20 captain Suryakumar Yadav also could not settle in, holing out for 12 off Lungi Ngidi.
Abhishek Sharma showed promise with a brisk 17 before a brilliant diving catch from Marco Jansen at fine leg helped cut his innings short.
Tilak Varma, India’s hero in the Asia Cup final, attempted to steady the innings with a patient 26 off 32 but the hosts’ momentum remained inconsistent as wickets continued to fall at regular intervals.
Axar Patel (23) and Shivam Dube (11) made starts but could not convert, with both players falling to slower variations just as India looked set to accelerate.
The turning point came with Hardik Pandya, who had been sidelined since the Asia Cup in September and missed the Australia tour due to a quadricep injury, walking in at 78/4. The star all-rounder shifted gears swiftly, taking on the South African pacers and spinners alike.
Pandya’s powerful strokeplay – including six fours and four sixes – lifted India’s scoring rate to over eight runs per over and injected momentum into the innings.
Lutho Sipamla (2/38) supported Ngidi well, but South Africa’s other bowlers struggled to maintain sustained pressure at the death.
South Africa’s chase began in the worst possible fashion with Quinton de Kock departing for a duck in the opening over, edging Arshdeep Singh to second slip.
Tristan Stubbs briefly counter-attacked with two boundaries but was undone by another clever delivery from Arshdeep, with India overturning the on-field call via DRS to send him back.
Captain Aiden Markram looked composed during his 14-ball stay, striking a four and a six, but Axar Patel struck with his very first delivery, knocking back his leg stump to tighten India’s grip.
Hardik Pandya then removed David Miller for just one, with wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma claiming another sharp catch as South Africa slid further.
Donovan Ferreira’s attempt to rebuild didn’t last long either, edging Varun Chakravarthy to hand Jitesh Sharma his third catch of the innings. The rest of the South African batting line-up also went down like ninepins.
All six bowlers used by India, including Arshdeep Singh (2/14), Jasprit Bumrah (2/17), Varun Chakravarthy (2/19), Axar Patel (2/7) and Hardik Pandya (1/16), Shivam Dube (1/1), were among the wickets.
The next match between the two 2024 T20 World Cup finalists will be played at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur.
IND vs SA T20 2025, 1st match brief scores: India 175/6 in 20 overs (Hardik Pandya 59 not out, Lungi Ngidi 3/31) beat South Africa 74/10 in 12.3 overs (Dewald Brevis 22; Axar Patel 2/7) by 101 runs.
