Brief by Shorts91 Newsdesk / 05:28pm on 09 Dec 2025,Tuesday Sports
India demolished South Africa by 101 runs in the opening T20I at Cuttack's Barabati Stadium. Chasing 176, South Africa collapsed to 74 all-out in just 12.3 overs against India's disciplined bowling attack. Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, and Varun Chakravarthy all claimed wickets. Player of the Match Hardik Pandya praised his fitness work over the last seven months, emphasizing team-first mentality. South Africa captain Aiden Markram acknowledged the sticky pitch with "tennis-ball bounce" but lamented batting collapse, stating they would've backed themselves chasing 175. Markram stressed the importance of building partnerships, vowing quick turnaround for the next match.
