Twitter Reactions: Hardik Pandya celebrates 25-ball fifty during IND vs SA 1st T20I

When Hardik Pandya came into the middle during the opening T20I of the five-match series between India and South Africa, the hosts were struggling to get going and were in need of a vast and rapid finish to get some advantage going into the second innings of the clash. Pandya started with two successive sixes against the left-arm spinner, Keshav Maharaj, down the ground.

When the pace was introduced into the attack, Hardik Pandya used the speed to guide the short balls through the field for more sixes. Lutho Sipamla made the mistake of pitching it over to the arc of Pandya, who used his bottom hand and launched it over the long-on fielder for a six.

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Hardik celebrates his sixth T20I fifty in just 25 balls and remains unbeaten on 59 runs in just 28 balls at a strike rate of 210.71, with the help of six boundaries and four sixes to shoulder the Indian side to 175/6 in their allotted 20 overs of the first innings.

Twitter Reactions: Hardik Pandya smashes 25-ball 50 during IND vs SA 1st T20I

India added 71 runs for the loss of Shivam Dube in their last six overs of the innings. The left-arm seamer, Arshdeep Singh, drew the first blood with the wicket of Quinton de Kock on the second ball of the second innings as the Proteas made a struggling start.