Watch: Hardik Pandya hit two 6s in an over during IND vs SA 1st T20I match

India registered 175/6 in 20 overs of the first innings of the 1st T20I match of the contest between India and South Africa (IND vs SA 1st T20I) at the Barabati Stadium in Odisha. Hardik Pandya alone scored an unbeaten 59 runs against only 28 deliveries. He decorated the knock with six 4s and four 6s. Among those four over-boundaries, Pandya hit two in an over of South African spinner Keshav Maharaj.

Indian batters were not comfortable on the pitch of the Barabari stadium, as there was a layer of grass on the track. It was not a usual pitch for a Twenty20 match where batters can score runs swiftly. The pitch, in the first innings of the match, tested the batters' technique heavily.

From the Indian batting order, it was only Hardik Pandya who stood tall and delivered during the crisis moment of the team. The total on the scoreboard and Pandya's individual run can give a little hint about the first half of the match. During the over of Maharaj, Pandya launched two sixes on the off side. The second six he hit was a no-look shot. The spinner had a bad day in business, as he delivered only a couple of overs and leaked a total of 25 runs without taking a single wicket.

Hardik Pandya hit a couple of sixes an and over in IND vs SA 1st T20I

With the standout innings, the star all-rounder completed his 100th T20 International sixes as well. During the death overs, from the 17th to the 20th over, when Pandya was on the crease, India added 44 runs with four boundaries and three maximums.

Anrich Nortje, with his luxury pace, proved most expensive against Hardik. The batter claimed 27(10) against the pacer.