Hardik Pandya Joins India’s Elite T20I Six-Hitting Club

Hardik Pandya delivered a stellar performance during India’s first T20 International against South Africa at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack on Tuesday, smashing an unbeaten 59 off just 28 balls to rescue the team from a precarious situation. His explosive innings, featuring six fours and four sixes, guided India to a competitive total of 175/6 after batting first.

From Crisis to Comeback

Early wickets plagued India’s innings as Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Abhishek Sharma, and Tilak Varma all fell cheaply, threatening to leave the hosts struggling below the 150-run mark. Hardik’s arrival proved transformative, as the all-rounder showcased exceptional batting prowess to deliver a match-winning contribution. Making his international comeback after a three-month injury layoff, Pandya demonstrated remarkable form with powerful stroke-play and intelligent shot selection throughout his knock.

Historic Milestone Achieved

During the innings, Hardik achieved a monumental career milestone by becoming only the fourth Indian cricketer to accumulate 100 sixes in T20 Internationals. He joined an elite group alongside Virat Kohli (124 sixes), Suryakumar Yadav (155 sixes), and Rohit Sharma (205 sixes)—a testament to his explosive batting capability at the international level.

The standing ovation from captain Suryakumar and head coach Gautam Gambhir underscored the significance of Hardik’s contribution. Former India batsman Robin Uthappa praised the performance, describing it as an innings “out of the top drawer,” highlighting how Pandya’s aggressive yet technically sound approach proved instrumental in rescuing India’s innings and providing a fighting total for the T20I clash.