Hardik Pandya Joins 100-Six Club With Rohit, Kohli, SKY—Then Gets Standing Ovation From Gambhir

Hardik Pandya spared India major embarrassment in the first T20I against South Africa at Cuttack’s Barabati Stadium on Tuesday, smashing an unbeaten 59 off just 28 balls to lift the hosts to 175/6 in their 20 overs. India, asked to bat first, had slumped into trouble as Shubman Gill (4), Suryakumar Yadav (12), Abhishek Sharma (17) and Tilak Varma (26) fell cheaply, and for a long time it looked like they might not even touch 150 before Hardik took charge in front of a packed house.

Returning to international cricket after nearly three months out with injury, the all-rounder produced a blistering knock studded with 6 fours and 4 sixes, transforming a precarious situation into a competitive total. Midway through his innings, Hardik also entered an exclusive club by becoming only the fourth Indian to hit 100 sixes in T20Is, joining Rohit Sharma (205), Suryakumar Yadav (155) and Virat Kohli (124).

Hardik reached his half-century with a six off the second ball of the final over, dispatching Anrich Nortje into the stands, and collected 11 runs from the last four deliveries he faced. His special effort drew a standing ovation from captain Suryakumar and head coach Gautam Gambhir in the dugout, underlining the significance of the innings.

Uthappa Hails Hardik Pandya

At the mid-innings break, former India batter Robin Uthappa lavishly praised Hardik’s rescue act, saying the all-rounder had effectively saved India with his counter-attacking fifty. “Hardik Pandya saved India the blushes. They are still 18-20 runs short, but he came there and played an absolute blinder. That was an innings out of the top drawer,” Uthappa said on Star Sports, highlighting his clean ball-striking and sound power-hitting basics.

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Earlier, South Africa skipper Aiden Markram had won the toss and opted to bowl first, and India’s innings began poorly as the hosts lost Gill and Suryakumar inside the first three overs, leaving Hardik to mount a vital recovery effort.