Post by : Mariam
Al-Faris
Indian all-rounder Hardik Pandya created a new record for India in T20 international cricket by going past legendary all-rounder Yuvraj Singh. Hardik now holds the record for the most times by an Indian player to score a half-century and take at least one wicket in the same T20I match. He achieved this milestone during the fifth and final T20I against South Africa, played on Friday. With this performance, Hardik further strengthened his reputation as one of India’s most impactful all-rounders in the shortest format of the game.
Batting with freedom and confidence, Hardik came in after India had already built a strong platform thanks to aggressive starts by Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. Partnering with Tilak Varma, Hardik attacked the South African bowlers from the very first ball. He played fearless shots all around the ground, hitting powerful fours and towering sixes that kept the pressure firmly on the Proteas bowling attack. His batting showed a perfect mix of strength, timing, and experience.
Hardik scored 63 runs from just 25 balls, smashing five fours and five sixes. His strike rate of 252 highlighted how destructive his innings was. Even though he conceded 41 runs in his three overs while bowling, he made an important breakthrough by dismissing Dewald Brevis. Brevis was looking dangerous after scoring 31 runs from 17 balls, but Hardik’s wicket stopped South Africa’s momentum at a crucial stage of the match.
With this match, Hardik registered his fourth instance of scoring a half-century and taking at least one wicket in a T20I for India. This took him ahead of Yuvraj Singh, who had achieved the feat three times. Virat Kohli is also part of this elite list, having done it twice in T20 World Cup matches against Pakistan in 2012 and West Indies in 2016. All-rounder Shivam Dube has also managed this achievement on two occasions for India.
This series marked Hardik’s return to international cricket, and he made it memorable with strong performances. He finished as the third-highest run-scorer of the series, scoring 142 runs in three innings at an impressive average of 71 and a strike rate of 186.84. He hit two half-centuries, both coming in matches India won. With the ball, he took three wickets in the series. While his economy rate was slightly high, his ability to deliver key moments stood out.
In the match itself, South Africa won the toss and chose to field first. India’s openers gave the team a fast start, putting on 63 runs in just 5.4 overs. Sanju Samson scored 37 off 22 balls, while Abhishek Sharma added 34 from 21 balls. After the quick dismissals of Samson and captain Suryakumar Yadav, India needed stability, which came through a brilliant 105-run partnership between Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya. Tilak played a composed innings of 73 runs from 42 balls, helping India post a strong total of 231 for 5 in 20 overs.
Chasing a huge target of 232, South Africa started well with a 69-run opening partnership. Quinton de Kock led the charge with a fine 65 off 35 balls, continuing his strong performances against India. However, once Varun Chakravarthy removed Reeza Hendricks, India slowly regained control. Dewald Brevis briefly threatened with an aggressive knock, but after his dismissal, South Africa kept losing wickets at regular intervals. They eventually finished on 201 for 8, falling short by 30 runs.
India’s bowlers played an important role in the win. Varun Chakravarthy was the standout performer, taking four wickets and ending the series with 10 wickets at a very good average. Jasprit Bumrah was economical and effective, picking up two wickets, while Arshdeep Singh also contributed with a crucial breakthrough.
For his match-winning all-round performance, Hardik Pandya was named Player of the Match. Varun Chakravarthy received the Player of the Series award for his consistent bowling throughout the series. India won the series 3-1, ending it on a high note and gaining confidence ahead of future T20 challenges.
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