It was a night where Hardik Pandya showed what his presence could do to this team. When he is fit and firing, in a team that has X-factor players in Abhishek Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Suryakumar Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy and Kuldeep Yadav, he can still be the Most Valuable Player.
On a cold, wintery night at Cuttack, where his teammates struggled to adjust to a two-paced surface, he went at a strike-rate of 210.71 with his unbeaten 59 off 28 ultimately proving to be the one that lifted India to 175/6, a total that the bowlers successfully defended to take a head start in the series.
Returning to the side after picking up an injury mid-way through the Asia Cup campaign in September, Pandya’s intent from the beginning stood out. Having missed the practice session on the match eve, when he entered the field on Tuesday, he immediately went to have a look at the pitch before moving to one corner of the Barabati Stadium where he did a few drills with trainer Adrian Le Roux, with most of the focus on freeing his arms. In a team that has flexible batting order, he is one they bank on to finish games, courtesy his brutal power.
Hardik Pandya special in the T20I series opener! 🙌
How good was that finish from the #TeamIndia all-rounder? ✍️
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/tiemfwcNPh #INDvSA | @hardikpandya7 | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/6CC8ejk4eF
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 9, 2025
On Tuesday, Pandya had to do a lot more than the finishing duty. When he arrived in the 12th over, India’s innings was going nowhere at 78/4. The top-four had all perished without getting a hang of the surface. Axar Patel, who walked in at No 5 in the seventh over, was not finding it easy either.
But Pandya walked in as a batsman who knew exactly what to do on the surface. Perhaps the dismissals had given him enough clue. With Shivam Dube and Jitesh Sharma to follow before the long tail, India needed Pandya to provide them with the missing impetus. Of the first four deliveries he faced, three of them against Keshav Maharaj, he brought out two sixes with the left-armer erring by delivering two flighted ones in the slot that Pandya doesn’t need second invitation.
With 16 momentum-inducing runs coming in that over of Maharaj, he would plead Axar not to play cross-batted swipes in front of square and gesture him to play straight, which the left-hander did next ball, hitting Lutho Sipamla for a six over sightscreen. Off the next delivery, Axar would fall though, playing the same shot that Pandya didn’t want to him play. 104/5 at the end of 14 overs with just Dube for company.
What a knock from Hardik Pandya! 💪💪
Put on an absolute show with the bat here in Cuttack! 🔥
5⃣9⃣* Runs
2⃣8⃣ Balls
6⃣ Fours
4⃣ SixesScorecard ▶️ https://t.co/tiemfwcNPh #TeamIndia | #INDvSA | @hardikpandya7 | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/MJNzTCokA6
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 9, 2025
With Lungi Ngidi and Marco Jansen, who were miserly at the start, having just an over each, Pandya knew the pace of Anrich Nortje was there to make use. Of the next over delivered by Nortje, he brought out his signature fierce cut that went behind square for a boundary before ending the over with a flat-batted shot that beat the mid-off fielder. When Jansen came on, he failed to connect an expansive shot, before bringing out a dismissive pull for a four. With Jansen mixing the pace, Pandya respected the seamer without any risks. The run-rate which was at 6.66 when he walked in was now at 8.05.
After a quiet over from Donovan Ferreira, Pandya, the enforcer made way for the finisher.
Sipamla, who went for cutters, was not spared. The first one was deposited over long-off and the next beat the mid-off fielder before Jitesh ended the over with a six over square-leg.
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Then came the shot of the match in the final over – a slashed-ramp off Nortje that disappeared over thirdman when there seemed no room for such an incredible shot – his 100th six in the format and one that brought up his fifty as well. There was time for another boundary as India racked up 105 in the last 10 overs with Pandya alone making 59 priceless runs. India’s MVP signed off in some style.