India began their T20 International campaign against South Africa with an overwhelming 101-run victory in the first fixture, held at the Barabati Stadium. Hardik Pandya was the undisputed star, delivering a match-winning all-round performance, while the collective effort of the Indian bowlers proved too much for the visitors. This commanding win puts India ahead 1-0 in the series and marks an excellent start to their T20 World Cup preparations.
South Africa’s pursuit of 176 began disastrously. Arshdeep Singh was on fire from the outset, dismissing Quinton de Kock for a golden duck and adding another wicket to put the Proteas under immense pressure. While Markram and Dewald Brevis showed some intent, Axar Patel’s timely intervention in the powerplay removed the opposition skipper. Hardik Pandya, bowling after a significant break, struck on his very first delivery, accounting for the dangerous David Miller.
The Indian bowlers executed their plans with precision, ensuring no significant partnerships could form. Varun Chakaravarthy chipped in with a wicket, and Jasprit Bumrah reached the milestone of 100 T20I wickets, further dismantling the South African batting order. The visitors were eventually bundled out for a paltry 74, their lowest-ever T20I total, with Axar Patel and Shivam Dube claiming the final wickets.
Earlier, India had a difficult start to their innings, losing key batsmen early. Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma provided a much-needed stabilization after the initial blows. However, the scoring rate faltered in the middle overs. The innings was largely rescued by Hardik Pandya’s explosive unbeaten 59, a knock characterized by aggressive strokeplay and powerful hitting that propelled India to 175/6. Valuable late runs were added by Shivam Dube and Jitesh Sharma, making the target challenging on a tricky wicket.
The second T20I will be played in New Chandigarh on Thursday.