Cuttack: South Africa won the toss and elected to bowl first against India in the first T20I of the five-match series here at the Barabati Stadium. The series will pose as an ideal one for both teams as they begin their preparations for the T20 World Cup 2026.

The hosts arrive hoping to carry their momentum from their previous T20I series, where they defeated Australia. They’ve received a boost with the addition of Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya, who mark their return to international cricket after recovering from their respective injuries. Meanwhile, the visitors see this as a chance to bounce back after losing the recently concluded ODI series against India 2-1.

For the first time in the venue’s varied history, a red-soil surface has been prepared, bringing with it the usual uncertain

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