#PlayOfTheDay: Hardik's match-winning knock vs SA

• Hardik Pandya returned to international cricket with a blistering 59 off 28 balls.
• Pandya's knock included 4 sixes,joining the elite club of 100 T20I sixes for India.
• Pandya's innings boosted India to 175/6 after top order struggles, displaying authority.

New Delhi: Hardik Pandya couldn’t have scripted a better return to international cricket. As he returned into India colors after long layoff, the all-rounder

announced himself in emphatic fashion during the first T20I against South Africa in Cuttack on Tuesday, producing a knock that flipped the game on its head.

Walking in with India wobbling after the fall of Tilak Varma, Pandya took charge straightaway. There was no feeling-out period, no cautious start. The message was clear from ball one as he launched into the attack mood while facing left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj smashing two sixes in quick succession. One of them, a stunning no-look hit over the ropes, instantly sent the crowd into a frenzy and summed up the confidence he was batting with.

MAXIMUMS x 2⃣! 🔥

Hardik Pandya announces his arrival to the crease in style 😎

Updates ▶️ https://t.co/tiemfwcNPh #TeamIndia | #INDvSA | @hardikpandya7 | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/dMCrGJDP4T

— BCCI (@BCCI) December 9, 2025

It has been over two months since Pandya last played competitive cricket, as he was sidelined by a quadriceps injury. Yet, watching him bat was a treat to the eyes, striking the ball clear, with sharp footwork and the intent unmistakable. On a surface where India’s top order had struggled to keep the scoreboard ticking, Hardik looked like he was playing on a different pitch altogether.

The Proteas tried to respond with pace bringing on Anrich Nortje. It didn’t change much as the Indian all-rounder was quick on his feet, even stepping out to the fast bowler and meeting the bounce with ease. Where others found it hard to find gaps, Hardik found the boundary with alarming regularity, lifting the tempo at a crucial stage of the innings.

As he walked off the field unbeaten, the damage was already done with his blistering 59 off just 28 balls. His innings was laced with six fours and four towering sixes. His knock dragged India from a tricky 78 for 4 in the 12th over to a competitive 175 for 6, giving the bowlers something solid to defend. More than the runs, it was the authority and clarity he brought to the crease that stood out.

Pandya joins elite list

Pandya’s fireworks in Cuttack also came with a personal milestone. With his four sixes in the match, he became only the fourth Indian to reach 100 sixes in T20 internationals. He now joins an elite club featuring Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav and Virat Kohli, underlining his impact as one of India’s most destructive finishers in the format.

For Men in Blue, this was more than just a strong individual performance with major tournaments on the horizon; seeing an Indian finisher back fit and batting with such freedom is a massive boost.