Hardik Pandya made a stunning comeback to international cricket on Tuesday during India’s 1st T20I against South Africa in Cuttack, smashing an inpressive half-century
Published: December 9, 2025 10:16 PM IST
New Delhi: Star India all-rounder Hardik Pandya made a stunning comeback to international cricket on Tuesday during India’s 1st T20I against South Africa in Cuttack. India suffered a batting collapse, but Hardik kept thing steady from the other end, as he held the innings together with a brilliant half-century off just 25 balls. The star all-rounder hammered 4 sixes and 6 fours in his 28-ball unbeaten 59, powering India to 175/6 in 20 overs after being put in to bat.
#HardikPandya doesn’t just make comebacks, he announces them with thunder! A 59* off just 28 balls… pure, unfiltered carnage. 🙌🗿💎#INDvSA, 1st T20I, LIVE NOW 👉 https://t.co/tqu4j7Svcm pic.twitter.com/zmUWR1oIsf
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 9, 2025
Pandya’s impressive knock lifted India’s scoring tempo
Pandya’s impressive knock lifted India’s scoring tempo as soon as he arrived at the crease. He signaled his aggressive approach by smashing consecutive sixes off Keshav Maharaj in the 13th over, and later targeted Anrich Nortje in the 15th, collecting a pair of cleanly struck boundaries. Even Lutho Sipamla who had earlier troubled India by grabbing two wickets faced the heat, as Pandya drilled him for a six and a four in the 19th over.
He continued the momentum in the final over as well, taking 11 runs off Nortje and wrapping up his innings with a dominant 59 from just 28 deliveries.
Hardik also became the fourth Indian to smash 100 sixes
Midway through his innings, Hardik also reached a major milestone by becoming the fourth Indian to smash 100 sixes in T20Is, joining the elite company of Rohit Sharma (205), Suryakumar Yadav (155), and Virat Kohli (124).
After he reached his fifty, captain Suryakumar and head coach Gautam Gambhir rose to their feet in the dugout, applauding his exceptional knock.
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