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.

See Also: Watch: Indian players and coach Gautam Gambhir visit Shri Jaganath Temple before IND vs SA 1st T20I

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.

Hardik coming back into the team and gets a fifty like... 😎

So so good to see Hardik Pandya bat the way he did today!#INDvSApic.twitter.com/kp5RLhYogW

— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) December 9, 2025

FIFTY FOR HARDIK PANDYA 🔥

- Hardik completed fifty from just 25 balls on a tough pitch, What a player, returning from injury after more than a month.#INDvsSA #HardikPandya pic.twitter.com/Qk3rtTMAyL

— Manoj 🐾 (@Manoj_jvm) December 9, 2025

THE SWAG OF HARDIK PANDYA. 🥶

- What a shot to complete his Fifty on his comeback match.

pic.twitter.com/7Vn1Hw9fuw

— Tanuj (@ImTanujSingh) December 9, 2025

104/5 after 14. Great effort to reach 175 from there. All thanks to Hardik's brilliance.

— Saurabh Malhotra (@MalhotraSaurabh) December 9, 2025

Hardik Pandya scored 59 runs when others batsmen couldn't even score more than 30 🐐🔥

This defines the aura of Hardik Pandya. pic.twitter.com/07YVKardXs

— RISHAV (@arroganthardik) December 9, 2025

This is what you call a comeback in Hardik Pandya style 😎👌

A 25-ball fifty 🔥

What an innings, What a fantastic fifty by Kungfu Pandya on his comeback. 💪

Well done, Hardik 👏#HardikPandya #INDvSA #INDvsSA pic.twitter.com/ojQ0jwvPHV

— Saabir Zafar (@Saabir_Saabu01) December 9, 2025

A record breaking to reach that 50 runs mark!

Hardik Pandya becomes the only 4th Indian batter to hit 100 sixes in T20Is for India💥#HardikPandya #INDvsSA pic.twitter.com/9KPqUAnCVB

— CREX (@Crex_live) December 9, 2025