The opening T20I of the India vs South Africa sequence on the Barabati Stadium witnessed a second of pure bowling brilliance when Axar Patel dismissed South African skipper Aiden Markram with a surprising supply. The dismissal, which got here off the very first ball of the sixth over, grew to become one of many standout highlights of India’s commanding victory.
Axar Patel produces a magnificence to uproot Aiden Markram’s stumps
South Africa, in pursuit of India’s aggressive whole, have been seeking to rebuild their innings when Markram took strike in opposition to Axar. What adopted was a textbook instance of left-arm accuracy and delicate variation. Axar bowled a flatter-length supply concentrating on center and leg, giving the batter virtually no room to manoeuvre. Deceptively skidding via as a substitute of turning, the ball zipped into Markram, who pressed again attempting to work it in direction of the leg facet.
However the South African captain misjudged the road and tempo. Overwhelmed on the within edge, Markram watched in disbelief because the ball straightened simply sufficient to clip the leg stump, sending it cartwheeling. Axar’s celebration mirrored the importance of the breakthrough, whereas the gang erupted in appreciation of the peerlessly executed supply.
Right here’s the video:
Spinners doing the trick 🪄
Axar Patel 🤝 Varun Chakaravarthy #TeamIndia chipping away on the wickets in Cuttack 🔢
Updates ▶️ https://t.co/tiemfwcNPh #INDvSA | @akshar2026 | @chakaravarthy29 | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/Hjg7nUKCDV
— BCCI (@BCCI) December 9, 2025
Additionally READ: Fans erupt as Hardik Pandya propels India to emphatic win over South Africa in the first T20I
Hardik Pandya powers India to commanding win
India opened the five-match T20I sequence with a dominant efficiency, using on Hardik Pandya’s explosive innings to grab management after a shaky begin on a difficult floor. Whereas most batters struggled to search out rhythm, Pandya’s counter-attacking knock reworked India’s whole from a probably below-par rating right into a extremely aggressive one.
The momentum he created carried into the bowling effort, the place India’s assault dismantled South Africa’s high order in fast succession, eradicating Quinton de Kock, Tristan Stubbs, Markram and David Miller earlier than the guests might construct any basis. Dewald Brevis tried to regular the chase with a composed effort amid fixed stress, however as wickets fell round him and the asking fee saved rising, South Africa by no means recovered and finally folded for simply 74.
Additionally READ: IND vs SA: Fans fume as India drop Sanju Samson in the first T20I against South Africa
