Hosts India started the five-match home T20I series against South Africa in a dominant fashion, as the visitors had no clue how to handle the in-form T20I side.
Cuttack hosted the five-match T20I series opener on Tuesday (9 December) night, when South Africa chose to field first after winning the toss. While India scored 175/6 in 20 overs, South Africa were bundled out for only 74 runs in 12.3 overs, as the hosts have taken a 1-0 lead in the series with a 101-run victory.
Tilak Varma enters 1000 T20I runs club
In his 34th T20I innings, Tilak Varma completed his 1000 T20I runs.
Tilak Varma recorded the fifth fastest 1000 T20I runs as an Indian. The top four record holders in this list are Virat Kohli (27 innings), Abhishek Sharma (28 innings), KL Rahul (29 innings), and Suryakumar Yadav (31 innings).
Hardik Pandya Special
At no.6, Hardik Pandya scored 59 not out off 28 balls.
It was his third T20I half-century at no.6 or lower, as he is the only Indian to score multiple T20I 50+ scores at no.6 or lower.
It was the third-highest T20I score by an Indian at no.6 or lower. The top two records in this list are 69 not out by Rinku Singh (vs Afghanistan in 2024 Bengaluru) and 65 by Axar Patel (vs Sri Lanka in 2023 Pune).
Hardik Pandya broke MS Dhoni's record
Hardik Pandya has scored 764 T20I runs at no.6 or lower.
Hardik leads the list of most T20I runs at no.6 or lower by an Indian after breaking MS Dhoni’s record of 756 T20I runs at these batting positions.
Hardik Pandya completed 100 T20I sixes
Hardik Pandya has hit 100 T20I sixes.
Hardik became the fourth Indian to record 100 T20I sixes. The other three Indians are Rohit Sharma (205 T20I sixes), Suryakumar Yadav (155 T20I sixes), and Virat Kohli (124 T20I sixes).
All-rounder Hardik Pandya equalled Yuvraj Singh's record
Apart from scoring a crucial 59 not out on his comeback, Hardik Pandya also had the bowling figures of 2-0-16-1.
It was the third time for Hardik to record a half-century and at least one wicket in the same T20I match, which equalled the record of 50+ score and at least one wicket in the same T20I match most times by an Indian, as Yuvraj Singh previously held it by recording it thrice.
Jasprit Bumrah enters special 100 T20I wickets club
Jasprit Bumrah has taken 101 T20I wickets.
After Arshdeep Singh (107 T20I wickets), Jasprit Bumrah became the second Indian bowler to record 100 T20I wickets.
After Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka), Tim Southee (New Zealand), Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh), and Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan).
Jitesh Sharma matched MS Dhoni
Indian wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma took four catches in the match.
While MS Dhoni recorded at least four catches in a T20I match three times, Jitesh Sharma became the second Indian wicketkeeper to record at least four catches in a T20I match. Dhoni holds this record with five catches against England during the 2018 Bristol T20I.
South Africa: 74 all out
South Africa were bundled out for only 74 runs.
It was the lowest completed T20I total for South Africa. Their previous lowest T20I total record was 87 all out against India during the 2022 Rajkot T20I.
It was the third-lowest completed T20I total in India.
It was the fourth-lowest completed T20I total for any team against India.
India vs South Africa: 1st T20I result
India won the match by 101 runs.
(Records for India)
It was India’s largest home T20I victory (by runs) against South Africa. Their previous record was winning by 82 runs during the 2022 Rajkot T20I.
It was India’s third-largest T20I win (by runs) against South Africa.
It was India’s fourth-largest home T20I win (by runs) against any team.
(Records for South Africa)
It was South Africa’s second-largest away T20I defeat (by runs). Their record away T20I defeat margin was losing by 146 runs against England during the 2025 Manchester T20I.
It was South Africa’s sixth-largest T20I defeat margin (by runs).
