South Africa have rewritten an unwanted chapter in their T20I history, posting their lowest-ever total in the format.
Returning from injury, Hardik Pandya lit up the match with a brilliant batting display for India. His explosive innings gave the team a fighting total, and the bowlers followed it up by dismantling South Africa to secure a massive win for Suryakumar Yadav’s side.
India won the first match of the five-match T20I series by 101 runs. After putting up 175 runs in Cuttack on Tuesday, the hosts bowled out the Proteas for just 74.
This is now South Africa’s lowest score in T20Is—their previous lowest was also against India, when they were bowled out for 87 in Rajkot in 2022.
The pitch wasn’t easy for batting, and while most Indian batters struggled to time their shots, Pandya produced a superb unbeaten 59 off 28 balls, smashing 6 fours and 4 sixes. With the ball, he conceded just 16 runs and dismissed David Miller—efforts that earned the 32-year-old pace-bowling all-rounder the Player of the Match award.
All six Indian bowlers picked up wickets. Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel all claimed two each.
Bumrah also reached a major milestone, becoming the fifth cricketer to take 100 wickets in all three international formats. He achieved the T20I mark despite being rested for the ODI series.
Although the ending was dominant, India didn’t start well. After losing the toss and being asked to bat, they lost a wicket off the third ball. Shubman Gill, back from injury, hit one boundary before falling to Lungi Ngidi.
Ngidi then dismissed captain Suryakumar, who holed out after hitting a four and a six in consecutive deliveries. Abhishek Sharma looked dangerous but was removed for 17 off 12 by Lutho Sipamla.
Tilak Varma fell for 26 off 32, leaving India at 78 for 4 after 12 overs. That’s when Pandya arrived and shifted the momentum. After taking a single to get going, he hammered two sixes off Keshav Maharaj in the same over.
Axar Patel (23 off 21) hit a six before falling, and Shivam Dube couldn’t make an impact.
In the 19th over, Pandya smashed Sipamla for back-to-back sixes and a four, and Jitesh Sharma also cleared the ropes. In the final over, Pandya completed his fifty with a six off Anrich Nortje and followed it with a boundary.
India scored 30 runs off the last two overs.
Chasing 176, South Africa kept losing wickets from the start. Apart from Dewald Brevis’ 22 off 14, no one crossed 15.
Arshdeep removed Quinton de Kock with an outswinger off the second ball, and then dismissed Tristan Stubbs in his next over.
Aiden Markram and Brevis tried to counterattack—Markram hit Bumrah for a four and a six, while Brevis hit Varun for a boundary and a six. But Axar removed Markram with his first delivery. The collapse resumed immediately.
Pandya dismissed Miller with his first ball, while Varun struck twice in two overs to remove Donovan Ferreira and Marco Jansen. Bumrah picked up Brevis to complete his 100 T20I wickets and then removed Maharaj. Two overs later, the match was over.
The second match will be played on Thursday in New Chandigarh.
Brief Scores
- India: 175/6 in 20 overs (Abhishek 17, Gill 4, Suryakumar 12, Tilak 26, Axar 23, Pandya 59*, Dube 11, Jitesh 10*; Ngidi 3/31, Sipamla 2/38)
- South Africa: 74 all out in 12.3 overs (De Kock 0, Markram 14, Stubbs 14, Brevis 22; Arshdeep 2/14, Bumrah 2/17, Varun 2/19, Axar 2/7, Pandya 1/16, Dube 1/1)
Result: India won by 101 runs
Series: India lead 1–0
Player of the Match: Hardik Pandya
