Hardik PandyaA 25-ball 63 and a heartfelt gesture to an injured cameraman lit up India’s 30-run win over South Africa in the fifth T20I at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, sealing a 3-1 win for the hosts.
Hardik Pandya’s sportsmanship shines as he consoles the cameraman as he hits a six in fifth T20I
Pandya, who came in to add to the death toll with India in the 13th over, immediately went on the attack and lofted the first ball. Corbin Bosch for six apartments for the long term. The shot went straight for the cameraman near the boundary and hit him on the shoulder, forcing a brief stoppage of play as medical help was summoned.
Undeterred, Pandya continued his onslaught and raced to his half-century off just 16 balls. Yuvraj Singh‘s iconic 12-ball effort England In 2007. He took 25 off 63 with a strike rate above 250, hitting five fours and five sixes above 250 to build a devastating 105-run stand off just 44 balls. Tilak Varma (73 off 42) to take India to a commanding 231/5
After the innings and the match ended, Pandya went straight to the cameraman, checked on him, put an ice pack on his shoulder and shared a warm hug with a smiling camera. A clip of the incident, which was widely shared on social media platforms, drew praise for Pandyan’s sportsmanship and compassion, with fans roundly applauding the star for looking away from the scoreboard in the high-pressure series decider.
We present the video:
– Hardik Pandya smashes a six
– The ball hit the operator hard
– After the shooting, Hardik immediately came to meet him
– Hardik hugged the operatorJust watch the operator’s reaction at the end; so priceless. This small gesture from cricketers can make someone’s day… pic.twitter.com/stV156Og6K
— Tejash (@Tejashyyyyy) December 19, 2025
Also READ: T20I cricket ft. Hardik Pandya – 5 fastest fifties for India in IND vs SA
Pandya ended the series 3-1 for India while winning the Man of the Match
Earlier, Tilak continued the purple patch with a fluent 73 off 42 balls, peppered with 10 fours and a six, anchoring the middles before letting loose with Pandya at the back. Their explosive partnership turned India from a solid platform into an impressive total and chased down South Africa for 232 on the real Ahmedabad surface.
In response to this, how long did South Africa stay in the hunt Quinton de Kock was at the crease, the left-hander hitting 65 runs, which kept the asking rate within reach. Once fell, Varun Chakraborty took control with four goalkeepers supported by Jasprit Bumrah’s The visitors ended 2025 from a promising position at 201 for 8, giving India a 30-run win and a 3-1 series win.
Pandya’s all-round impact and high-pace batting earned him the Player of the Match award and he also marked a series in which he returned from injury to regain his role as a finisher and a leadership presence. Reflecting on his 16-ball fifties, he admitted he targeted six off his first delivery only to learn later that he now sits behind Yuvraj on India’s list of fastest T20I fifties, a milestone made all the more memorable by the human touch he showed the injured cameraman.
