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India Win by 101 Runs: Hardik, Arshdeep Crush South Africa in 1st T20I
India clinched a dominant 101-run victory over South Africa in the first T20I in Cuttack, dismissing the visitors for their lowest-ever T20I total of 74. The win came despite losing the toss and batting first on a sticky, damp pitch—conditions that typically disadvantage the side setting a target.
Hardik Pandya produced a game-changing performance on his return, smashing an unbeaten 59 off 28 balls to lift India to 175 for 6 when most batters struggled for timing. India had slipped to 78 for 4 after early wickets, with Lungi Ngidi striking twice in the powerplay and South Africa’s tall pacers extracting steep bounce. But Hardik counter-attacked brilliantly, targeting Keshav Maharaj for two no-look sixes and unsettling Anrich Nortje in the death overs. His fifty-making ramp shot also made him only the fourth Indian to hit 100 T20I sixes.
With the ball, Arshdeep Singh set the tone by removing Quinton de Kock for a duck and then dismissing Tristan Stubbs using wobble-seam movement. India never allowed South Africa to settle, taking wickets every few deliveries. Dewald Brevis briefly resisted, but Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Hardik, and Jasprit Bumrah—who completed 100 T20I wickets—ran through the batting lineup. Shivam Dube, selected for his all-round ability, claimed the final wicket.
The emphatic win sends a strong message ahead of India’s home T20 World Cup campaign, reinforcing the team’s depth and adaptability under tough conditions.
India lead the five-match series 1-0, with the next T20I scheduled in Mullanpur on December 11.
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Published: Dec 10, 2025
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