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1st T20I Updates: India crush South Africa by 101 runs

Tue, 09 December 2025

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22:06

India crush South Africa by 101 runs

SA 74-all out (12.3 ovs) vs India 175-6 | Scorecard

Axar back into the attack. Sipamla takes a single first ball before Axar cleans up Nortje with a full straight delivery for one.

India one wicket away from a thumping victory in the series opener.

Lungi Ngidi keeps out the first two balls he faces with caution before he takes a single and Sipamla blocks the last ball.

Shivam Dube comes into the attack, to bowl the 13th over. Ngidi clips the first ball off his pads for one before Dube finishes off the match with the wicket of Sipamla.

22:00

100 T20I wickets for Bumrah! SA 8 down

SA 71-8 (11 ovs) vs India 175-6 | Scorecard

Bumrah back into the attack. The pacer completes a landmark 100 wickets in T20 Internationals as Brevis is caught by Suryakumar on the off-side after scoring 22 from 14 balls.

The umpire checks for the front foot no-ball but Bumrah gets the benefit of doubt from the TV umpire.

South Africa continue to stumble as they are reeling on 68/7 in the 11th over.

Bumrah becomes only the fifth bowler in international cricket to take 100 wickets in all three formats.

He is only the second Indian bowler to complete 100 wickets in T20 Internationals after team-mate Arshdeep Singh.

Bumrah strikes again a couple of balls later as Maharaj gets the edge trying to pull and is caught down the leg side for a duck.

21:51

South Africa collapse; India in control

SA 68-6 (10 ovs) vs India 175-6 | Scorecard

Varun keeping things tight as Jansen struggles to pick him. After Brevis takes a single first ball, Jansen plays three dots in a row.

It's all or nothing from Jansen as he pulls the spinner over midwicket for a six, to take his score to 12 with two sixes.

Varun gets revenge off the very next ball as Jansen swings hard but misses the wrong one which skids straight on and strikes the stumps.

Jansen is dismissed for 12 as South Africa collapse to 68/6 after 10 overs. They need another 108 from the remaining 10 overs for victory.

Brevis, who has stroked 22 from 12 balls, is their last hope as South Africa struggle on a two-paced pitch.

21:45

South Africa 5 down; India in control

SA 61-5 (9 ovs) vs India 175-6 | Scorecard

Varun Chakravarthy leaves South Africa in further strife. The extra bounce does the trick as Ferreira trying to cut the spinner gets the edge and wicketkeeper Jitesh takes a sharp catch -- his third of the innings.

Ferreira is dismissed for five as South Africa slip to 50/5 in the eighth over.

Marco Jansen at No 7 as he defends the remaining four deliveries as Varun bowls a wicket maiden.

Hardik continues as Brevis flicks the first ball through midwicket for a four and pulls the next to the fielder in the deep for one.

Jansen pokes and is beaten to a length ball pitched outside the off-stump by Hardik as wicketkeeper Jitesh does well to stop it on the bounce.

Jansen plays three dot balls in a row before he lofts the last ball from Hardik straight down the ground, clearing long-off for a six.

21:35

Hardik strikes; South Africa in trouble

SA 50-4 (7 ovs) vs India 175-6 | Scorecard

Hardik Pandya comes into the attack after the Powerplay. There is a confident appeal for catch off an inside edge against Miller as the length ball goes through him.

The umpires want to have a look but there is a big inside edge as the ball goes off the pads and is taken by wicketkeeper Jitesh diving forward.

Miller walks back for one to leave South Africa reeling on 45/4 in the seventh over.

Donovan Ferreira walks in at No 6 with South Africa needing a big partnership to get out of this mess.

Ferreira defends the first two balls he faces from Hardik before he lofts the pacer over mid-off for a four and takes a single off the last ball.

21:26

Axar strikes; South Africa 3 down

SA 45-3 (6 ovs) vs India 175-6 | Scorecard

Nearly another wicket as Markram gets a thick outside edge trying to drive Bumrah but the ball flies to the right of Abhishek at second slip for a four.

Markram keeps out the next three balls before he plays a cracking pick up shot off his pads for a six over midwicket.

Spin introduced early as Varun Chakravarthy comes into the attack in the Powerplay to bowl the fifth over.

Brevis is beaten first ball trying to play the cut shot but gets the shot right next ball for a four behind point.

Two balls later, he times the loft to perfection, carting the spinner wide of long-on for a six.

He goes hard again trying to slog sweep getting an inside edge to square leg for one and Markram takes a single off the last ball, to get 12 from the over.

Spin from both ends as Axar Patel comes into the attack. He strikes first ball with the wicket of South Africa captain Markram, who is bowled for 14.

Markram makes the mistake of playing back to a delivery which was fuller than expected as it skids in sharply to strike the stumps.

David Miller clips the third ball through square leg for a single before Brevis lofts the last ball over mid-on for a four.

South Africa are 45/3 in six overs, needing 131 from 14 overs for victory.

21:13

Arshdeep's double strike rocks SA

SA 18-2 (3 ovs) vs India 175-6 | Scorecard

Jasprit Bumrah from the other end. Aiden Markram defends the first two balls before he slices the third which goes towards the fielder at thirdman.

Shivam Dube takes the catch overhead as he jumps but the momentum carries him over and he does well to flick the ball inside as he goes over the ropes. This might go down as a possible chance but Dube has done well to save the six and concede just a single.

Singles off the next three balls as Bumrah gives away just four runs from his opening over.

Arshdeep continues as Stubbs guides the first ball past point for two runs before he drives the next square on the off-side for a four.

Arshdeep gets the ball to jag in sharply into the right-hander who is beaten on the inside edge. Wicketkeeper Jitesh dives forward to take the catch as India appeal for caught behind which is turned.

The review is taken and there is a clear spike as the ball passes the bat with Stubbs given out caught behind for 14.

Dewald Brevis gets off the mark with a single on the off-side and Markram takes one off the last ball to end another good over from the pacer.

21:03

Arshdeep strikes; De Kock out for duck

SA 6-1 (1 ov) vs India 175-6 | Scorecard

Quinton de Kock and Aiden Markram are the two openers for South Africa, who will need to maximise the Powerplay with the pitch looking two paced at times.

Arshdeep Singh starts off with the ball for India. De Kock defends the first ball before he is dismissed next ball caught at second slip by Abhishek Sharma for a duck.

Tristan Stubbs gets off the mark with two runs through the covers before he plays a nicely-timed through the same region for a four.

A couple of dot balls to end a good first over from Arshdeep.

20:51

Hardik's 28-ball 59 rallies India to 175

India 175-6 (20 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Hardik turned around the Indian innings with his late assault in the final overs.

India smashed 54 runs from the last five overs with Hardik providing the final flourish with an entertaining 59 from 28 balls, hitting four sixes and six fours.

He brought up his landmark 100th six in T20 Internationals -- the fourth Indian to achieve it.

India struggled in the middle over as Tilak scored a sedate 26 from 32 balls and Axar made 23 from 21 balls.

Ngidi starred with the ball for the Proteas with 3/31, while Sipamla claimed 2/38 and Jansen bowled well to concede 23 runs from his four overs.

20:43

Hardik's 28-ball 59 rallies India to 175

India 175-6 (20 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Nortje to bowl the final over. Hardik throws his bat at a short wide delivery but is beaten.

However, he makes good connection as he carves the next over thirdman using the extra pace of Nortje for a six to bring up his fifty in grand style from 25 balls.

Hardik hits the third ball to mid-off but decides against the single before he hits the next over mid-on for a four.

Singles off the last two balls as India finish on 175/6 in their 20 overs.

Hardik has turned around the innings with his late assault, smashing 59 from 28 balls, with six fours and four sixes, while Jitesh made 10 from five balls.

20:39

Hardik's attack rallies India

Hardik Pandya

India 163-6 (19 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Sipamla to bowl the 19th over. Jitesh takes a single first ball before Hardik lofts the next over long-off for a six to take India past 150.

The next ball is short but Hardik manages to flat bat it past mid-off for a boundary.

Good short ball from Sipamla as Hardik pulls but misses before he miscues a slower ball high on the off-side but Stubbs running back from covers fails to get to the catch for a single.

Jitesh swings the last ball over square leg for a six to get 18 from the 19th over.

20:32

India 6 down; South Africa on top

India 145-6 (18 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Jansen back into the attack to bowl his final over. Hardik is beaten first ball by a length ball angled across before he swats the next through square leg for a four.

Jansen gets the back of length delivery to swing and move away to beat Hardik on the outside edge who then slaps the short ball square to deep point for one.

Dube pushes the slower ball back to the bowler before he gets one off the last ball.

Six runs from the 17th over as Jansen, despite going wicketless, has done a good job conceding just 23 runs in his four over.

South Africa take the gamble as part-time spinner Ferreira is called back to bowl the 18th over.

Dube looks to go after the spinner as he has a big swing but misses one fired flat and quick at 108kmph to be bowled for 11.

India have a long batting line-up as Jitesh Sharma walks in at No 8. He gets off the mark with a single on the leg side and Hardik only manages just one off the next.

Jitesh sweeps the fourth ball for one before Hardik clips the fifth ball fired at his pads fine for a four.

He hammers the last ball straight back as Ferreira makes a superb one-handed save on his follow through.

Good stuff from Ferreira as he gives away just eight runs in the 18th over.

20:24

Axar out for 23; India 5 down

India 131-5 (16 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Nortje back into the attack. A single each to Hardik and Dube before the former steers the next behind point for a boundary.

Nortje bowls an effort ball as the bouncer outside the off-stump bounces quite sharply and beats even the wicketkeeper for height for five wides.

Hardik throws his bat at a short wide delivery getting it off the outside half for two runs. He smashes the last ball powerfully down the ground past mid-off for a four, to get 17 from the over.

Ngidi, who took 3/21 in three overs, comes back into the attack. Dube is beaten first ball trying to cut before he takes a single next and Hardik gets one off the third.

Ngidi gives some width as Dube punches it through the covers for a four followed by a dot ball.

20:12

Axar out for 23; India 5 down

India 104-5 (15 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Hardik looking to get going. He slog sweeps Maharaj off the second ball he faces high over midwicket for a six.

Maharaj makes the mistake of giving it some air as Hardik lofts it over long-on for another six.

Two singles and a wide as Maharaj goes for 16 runs in his second over.

Pacer Sipamla back into the attack. He does well to concede just two singles off the first four balls before Axar releases the pressure by lofting the pacer over long-on for a six to bring up India's 100, in the 14th over.

However, once again Sipamla strikes back as he gets the wicket of Axar next ball, who cuts it straight to the fielder at point to be dismissed for 23.

20:04

Varma out for 26; India continue to slip

India 80-4 (12 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Part-time spinner Donovan Ferreira into the attack. The offie is firing it on the stumps to the two left-handers not giving them anything to loft or any room. He makes a tidy start conceding five runs from his first over, including a wide.

India have been unable to break free as the run rate stays touch above seven.

Ngidi back into the attack. He deals India another big blow with the wicket of the well-set Tilak. The left-hander, who made 26 from 32 balls, pulled the short ball straight to Jansen at fine leg, who initially looked to have misjudged the catch but did well to grab it and hold on to the catch.

Ngidi gives away just four runs in the over to improve his figures to 3/21 in three overs.

India, who are struggling on 80/4 in 12 overs, need a strong finish to get themselves above 150.

19:53

Abhishek falls for 17; India in trouble

India 71-3 (10 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Nortje generating some good pace. Tilak very brave to attempt the scoop off a length ball clocked at 149kmph, he misses it and is lucky not to have been hit on the body.

He is beaten next ball before he swings the third ball powerfully over square leg for a six, sending the ball flying out of the stadium.

Singles off the last two balls as India reach 71/3 in 10 overs at the halfway mark.

Tilak once again to the rescue, having made 23 from 27 balls, while Axar is on 10 from eight balls.

19:47

Abhishek falls for 17; India in trouble

India 63-3 (9 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Fast bowler Anrich Nortje comes into the attack, to bowl the eighth over. Tilak defends the first ball before he guides the next to thirdman for a single and Axar takes one off the third ball.

The two batters pick a single each off the last three balls as Nortje makes a tidy start conceding just four singles in his opening over.

Spin introduced as Keshav Maharaj comes in to bowl the ninth over. Axar clips the first ball off his pads through square leg for two runs. He cuts the next ball fine on the off-side for three runs as Ngidi does well to keep the ball inside the ropes.

Three singles and a wide as Maharaj gives away nine runs in the ninth over.

19:40

Abhishek falls for 17; India in trouble

India 50-3 (7 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Abhishek slams pacer Sipamla through the covers for a boundary before he pulls the next over midwicket for another four.

However, Sipamla has the last laugh. Abhishek flicks it fine on the leg side but ends up slicing it uppishly as Jansen takes a wonderful running catch at fine leg to send back the left-hander.

Abhishek walks back after scoring 17 from 12 balls as India slip to 48/3 in the seventh over.

Axar Patel taps the fourth ball into the leg side for a single and Tilak pulls the last ball for another run to bring up India's 50 in the seventh over.

19:32

India struggle after early wickets

India 40-2 (6 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Jansen to bowl his third over in the Powerplay. Tilak fails to connect with the first two balls before he flicks a full delivery in the gap at midwicket for a four.

The left-hander nearly chips it to the fielder in the covers as he pushes away from the body but the ball falls short.

Jansen fails to end the over well as he strays down the leg side with Tilak glancing it fine for a four.

India are 40/2 in six overs with Abhishek on nine and Tilak on 11.

19:29

India struggle after early wickets

India 32-2 (5 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Jansen continues as Tilak defends before he pushes the next on the leg side for a single. Jansen hits Abhishek on the body with the short ball which swings sharply into the left-hander and strikes him on the side of the stomach.

Abhishek breaks free as he pulls the short ball over midwicket for a six. The left-hander uses his feet and makes room but fails to connect to the full delivery.

He keeps strike with a quick single from the last ball off the last ball.

Pacer Lutho Sipamla into the attack. Abhishek makes room but is beaten on the inside edge as the ball beats wicketkeeper de Kock for four byes.

He pushes the second ball into the off-side for a single before Tilak is beaten on the outside edge. He defends the next two balls and keeps strike with one from the last ball.

19:19

Ngidi strikes again; Suryakumar out for 12

India 18-2 (3 ovs) vs SA | Scorecard

Marco Jansen from the other end. He has been the outstanding player for South Africa in both the Test and ODI series, both with bat and ball.

Suryakumar pushes the first ball into the off-side before he blocks the next ball.

Jansen pulling back his length as Suryakumar pushes it on the off-side and wants a quick single but is sent back.

Some away movement for Jansen as Suryakumar is beaten trying to flick followed by a block.

He avoids the maiden over with a single from the last ball of the over as Jansen concedes just a single in his first over.

Suryakumar breaks the shackles. He flicks Ngidi over midwicket for a four before playing his trademark whip off his pads over square leg for a six.

Once again Ngidi has the last laugh. Suryakumar tries to repeat the whip off his pads but gets the leading edge and is caught at mid-on for 12.

The ball seems to holding on to the pitch a little bit as Suryakumar ended up getting the leading edge.

Tilak Varma gets an inside edge last ball for a single to get off the mark.

Ngidi has excellent figures of 2/17 in two overs including six dot balls, picking up two big wickets inside the Powerplay.

19:10

Gill out for 4; India lose early wicket

India 6-1 (1 ov) vs SA | Scorecard

Punjab team-mates and close friend Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma walk out to open the batting for India.

Lungi Ngidi to open the bowling for Proteas. Abhishek throws his bat first ball as he gets a thick outside edge to thirdman for a single.

Gill also slashes hard at a full wide delivery getting it off the outside half towards thirdman for a four to get off the mark.

However, the bowler gets revenge next ball with the wicket of Gill, who is caught at mid-off for four. Gill used his feet to loft it down the ground but failed to time the shot and was caught by Jansen as India suffered an early blow.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav walks in at No 3. He gets off the mark first ball with a quick single before Abhishek jumps down the track and has a big swing but is beaten.

He attempts another heave last ball but is beaten and hit high on the pads to end a good first over from Ngidi.

18:50

SA opt to bowl; Gill, Hardik back for India

Hardik Pandya

India boast of a strong line-up including some handy all-rounders in Hardik, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel with batting all the way up to No 8 and as many as seven options with the ball, including part-timers Abhishek Sharma and Shivam Dube.

South Africa also have a formidable line-up with some of their players having a lot of IPL experience including Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, David Miller, Marco Jansen and Dewald Brevis.

Check out the playing XIs:

India: Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (w/k), Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh.

South Africa: Aiden Markram (Captain), Quinton de Kock (w/k), Tristan Stubbs, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Lutho Sipamla, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje

18:37

SA opt to bowl; Gill, Hardik back for India

South Africa captain Aiden Markram has won the toss and elected to bowl against India in the first T20 International in Cuttack on Tuesday.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav can only laugh at his luck as the hosts lose yet another toss.

India have bolstered by the return of star all-rounder Hardik Pandya along with vice-captain Shubman Gill, with both recovering from their injuries.

Jasprit Bumrah is back to lead the bowling attack after being rested for the ODI series, while Jitesh Sharma takes over the gloves ahead of Sanju Samson.

18:26

Gill, Hardik back as India eye winning start

Hardik Pandya

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of the first T20 International between India and South Africa at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Tuesday.

The return of Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya will lend fresh sheen and much-needed cohesiveness to reigning world champions India when they begin their official march towards the home T20 World Cup with the opening match of a five-game series against South Africa.

This series marks the start of India's formal build-up to the February showpiece, where they will play 10 T20Is -- five against South Africa followed by another five against New Zealand -- before opening their title defence against the USA at the Wankhede on February 7.

The defending champions will look to enter this phase with clarity of intent as they refine roles, streamline combinations and settle the XI that will carry the weight of expectations in front of home crowds.

India have been a formidable T20I unit post their World Cup triumph in the format last year, where they won eight matches in a row to lift the title.

Since then, they have extended their tally to 26 wins with only four losses, including a seven-match streak during their Asia Cup victory in Dubai.

They have not lost a T20I series in this period, and with only minor tweaks needed, they will be hoping to sharpen the edges against the side they defeated in the T20 World Cup final.

Gill's return comes after he missed almost a month of cricket owing to a neck spasm suffered while attempting a slog sweep during the opening Test against the Proteas.

Having played non-stop cricket since the last IPL and with India facing a packed season ahead, his workload management will be closely monitored.

But for Gill, who has 837 runs from 33 T20Is at an average of 29.89, this series also doubles up as vital preparation heading into the ICC event.

His reunion with Abhishek Sharma brings back a high-impact opening pair that marries brute force with clean, classical strokeplay.

Abhishek, fresh from a standout tour of Australia where he topped India's scoring charts with 163 runs in the 2-1 victory, has been in monstrous domestic touch.

Hardik Pandya's comeback is equally significant.

His presence not only deepens India's batting but restores the balance of a bowling attack built heavily on flexibility.

One of the central conversations ahead of the series has been skipper Suryakumar Yadav's prolonged lean patch.

Since taking over as full-time T20I captain in July last year, his form has dipped to an average of 15.33 with 184 runs in 15 innings, he has not scored a fifty in the last 20 games, and his strike rate has reduced to 127.77 from the 187-plus he clocked in 2022.

Even in the SMAT this season, he failed to reach a fifty, scoring 165 runs from five matches.

The wicketkeeper-batter debate -- Sanju Samson or Jitesh Sharma -- remains equally tantalising.

South Africa, for their part, welcome back tearaway pacer Anrich Nortje for his first international appearance since last year's T20 World Cup final.

Marco Jansen's evolution as a genuine all-rounder adds heft to the visitors; his blistering 93 in the Guwahati Test and 70 off 39 balls in Ranchi underscored a renewed authority with the bat to go with his established potency with the ball.

Veteran left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj also returns to the white-ball fold, though the Proteas will sorely miss star batter Tony de Zorzi and young fast bowler Kwena Maphaka, both ruled out of the five-match series due to injury.

1st T20I Updates: India crush South Africa by 101 runs

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