India vs South Africa 2025, 1st T20I: Weather and Pitch Report, Barabati Stadium in Cuttack

India and South Africa are set to kick off their five-match T20I series on Tuesday, December 9, at the Barabati Stadium in Cuttack. After being whitewashed in the Test series, the hosts bounce back brilliantly by clinching the ODIs 2-1, and now look to extend their winning run in T20Is. 

Under Suryakumar Yadav, the Men in Blue have not lost a T20I series since the 2024 World Cup win, making them one of the most consistent teams in the format. This series is also the beginning of India’s final stretch before the 2026 T20 World Cup. With just ten T20Is left before the tournament, the hosts will be keen to try out all their combinations. Notably, the team sees the return of Shubman Gill and Hardik Pandya. On the other hand, South Africa will come after a disappointing ODI series. However, they are expected to come hard at India in conditions that may favour batters. 

Suryakumar, Gambhir visit Puri Temple ahead of the SA T20Is

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Suryakumar, Gambhir visit Puri Temple ahead of the SA T20Is

Cuttack Weather Forecast

The afternoon on Tuesday, December 09, is expected to be bright and sunny, but conditions are set to change as the evening approaches. Cloud cover is likely throughout the match hours. According to AccuWeather, there is a 10% chance of rain, and brief interruptions cannot be ruled out. Meanwhile, temperatures will hover around 25 degrees in the morning and rise to 28 degrees in the afternoon before dipping to nearly 15 degrees by evening. The conditions are predicted to be hazy, with air quality remaining unhealthy.

Barabati Stadium, Cuttack Pitch Report

The pitch at Barabati Stadium will be a fresh red-soil and is known as a batting-friendly surface. Similar to the Wankhede track, it is expected to witness plenty of runs, with bounce. Spinners usually come into play during the middle overs, but teams batting second are expected to benefit significantly from the heavy dew. Conditions generally offer a bit of help for everyone, some early movement for pacers, grip for spinners, and a fast outfield that rewards the batters. South Africa will look to bounce back after their ODI series loss. The Proteas have won both of their previous T20Is here, including India’s collapse to 92 in 2015 and Heinrich Klaasen’s match-winning 81 in 2022.