India’s star all-rounder Hardik Pandya made a stunning comeback to international cricket after almost two and a half months, delivering a powerful performance in the first T20I against South Africa in Cuttack.
Pandya, who missed the Asia Cup 2025 final and the Australia tour due to injury, returned today — and instantly reminded everyone why he is one of India’s most valuable players.
💥 Pandya’s ‘Century’ on Comeback
Although he scored just a half-century with the bat, Hardik achieved a different and special century in this match —
👉 He completed 100 sixes in T20 Internationals.
🔹 His Milestone Innings:
28 balls
4 sixes
6 fours
Sixth T20I fifty of his career
By reaching the 100 sixes mark, Pandya became only the fourth Indian to achieve this feat.
🔝 Most Sixes for India in T20Is
Rohit Sharma – 205
Suryakumar Yadav – 155
Virat Kohli – 124
Hardik Pandya – 100
KL Rahul – 99 (just one short)
With this, Pandya has officially moved ahead of KL Rahul, who has been stuck at 99 sixes in T20Is.
🏏 How India’s Innings Unfolded
Captain Suryakumar Yadav lost the toss and India were asked to bat first. The innings started poorly:
Shubman Gill: 4 runs (out in the first over)
Abhishek Sharma: 17
Suryakumar Yadav: 12
India were struggling early, but:
Tilak Varma (26)
Axar Patel (23)
added important runs to stabilise the innings.
Then came Pandya’s counterattack — powerful hitting in the final overs lifted India to a fighting total of 175.
