Cuttack (PTI): India produced a dominant all-round display to beat South Africa by 101 runs in the opening T20I, taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match series. The visitors were bowled out for just 74, their lowest-ever total in T20Is.

Put in to bat on a slow red-soil pitch, India recovered from early setbacks to post 175/6. The top and middle order struggled as Lungi Ngidi (3/31) and Lutho Sipamla (2/38) kept the batters in check, removing Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma and Axar Patel at regular intervals.

India’s innings changed gears in the final overs as Hardik Pandya, returning from injury, smashed an unbeaten 59 off 28 balls, lifting India with 71 runs in the last six overs. He hit big sixes off Keshav Maharaj and Anrich Nortje and reached his half-century in 25 balls.

South Africa’s chase fell apart almost instantly. Arshdeep Singh set the tone with the early wickets of Quinton de Kock and Tristan Stubbs. Axar Patel bowled Aiden Markram in the powerplay, and Pandya sent back David Miller soon after.

Varun Chakravarthy picked up two wickets with his variations, including Donovan Ferreira and Marco Jansen, while Jasprit Bumrah cleaned up the tail with two strikes in four balls. South Africa were dismissed in just 12.3 overs.

The heavy defeat also marked their first T20I loss in Cuttack. India now head into the second match with strong momentum.