India defeated South Africa by 101 runs in the first T20I of the five-match series at Barabati Stadium, Cuttack, on Tuesday, December 9. South Africa captain Aiden Markram won the toss and chose to field first. India posted 175/6 in their innings, with Hardik Pandya leading the charge. Pandya remained unbeaten on 59 from 28 balls, outplaying the South African bowling attack, while the other batters failed to make significant contributions.
For South Africa, Lungi Ngidi was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 3/31, while Lutho Sipamla took 2/38. In response, the Proteas were bowled out for just 74 runs, with Dewald Brevis top-scoring with 22. The rest of the batting lineup collapsed under pressure. India's bowling attack dominated, with Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy, and Axar Patel each picking up two wickets to secure a comprehensive victory.
Hardik Pandya was the top scorer of the match, showcasing his experience to guide the Men in Blue's innings. He remained unbeaten on 59 from 28 balls, hitting six fours and four sixes at a strike rate of 210.71, completely outplaying the Proteas bowlers. With other batters struggling, Pandya anchored the innings and struck the right shots to take India to a formidable total in the first T20I.
