Durban, Nov 8 (UNI) India’s opening T20I against South Africa at Kingsmead turned into a showcase of Sanju Samson’s phenomenal batting prowess as he struck his second consecutive T20I century, guiding India to a competitive 202/8.
Samson’s brilliant knock of 107 off 50 balls — adorned with seven fours and ten sixes — marked the fastest T20I century by an Indian against South Africa and placed him among an elite group of players who have scored back-to-back T20I hundreds.
Having powered his way to three figures in the previous T20I against Bangladesh, Samson joined an exclusive club, becoming the fourth cricketer to notch consecutive T20I centuries. He shares this distinction with Gustav Mckeon, Rilee Rossouw, and Phil Salt, adding further glory to his impressive list of T20 achievements.
India’s innings started with an aggressive yet short-lived partnership between Abhishek Sharma and Samson. The pair quickly capitalised on South Africa’s initial bowling, as Abhishek smashed a boundary off Aiden Markram’s first over.
However, Sharma’s stay was cut short by pacer Gerald Coetzee, who bowled a bouncer that resulted in a mistimed shot, caught by Markram for 7. Suryakumar Yadav then joined Samson at the crease, and the duo launched an aggressive counter-attack. Suryakumar struck 21 off 17 balls before being dismissed by Patrick Kruger, leaving Samson to spearhead the innings.
As wickets tumbled, Samson’s composure and aggression shone. Facing spinners and pacers alike, he hit towering sixes that electrified the spectators.
Among the highlights was his stunning pull over mid-wicket off Nqabayomzi Peter in the seventh over, followed by back-to-back sixes that brought up his fifty. By the end of his knock, Samson had scored a record 58 runs off just 27 balls against spin, the third-highest tally by an Indian against spin in T20I history, further illustrating his prowess against the slower bowlers.
South Africa’s bowlers, though, found breakthroughs at crucial intervals to rein in the scoring. Coetzee emerged as South Africa’s standout bowler, picking up three wickets, including the dismissals of both Hardik Pandya (2) and Rinku Singh (11).
Patrick Kruger and Keshav Maharaj also chipped in with a wicket each, Maharaj’s scalp of Tilak Varma (33 off 18, 3x4s 2x6s) coming right after Samson’s century, which briefly stymied India’s momentum.
Despite India’s solid total, they lost six wickets for just 78 runs in the final eight overs, a period that saw South Africa claw their way back into the game.
Coetzee’s variations, including a well-disguised knuckleball, claimed three wickets in the last two overs, preventing India from capitalising on their start. Axar Patel, Rinku Singh, and Arshdeep Singh provided a few late boundaries, but South Africa’s death-over bowling ensured India finished at 202/8 rather than a much higher tally.
Samson’s century, however, drew applause from his teammates and the Kingsmead spectators alike. He took his time celebrating the landmark, removing his helmet and raising his bat as his team acknowledged a spectacular innings.
Samson’s innings, besides setting records, underscored his growing stature as a crucial batsman for India in the T20 format, particularly with his ability to consistently find boundaries under pressure.
With seven 200-plus scores in 2024, India matched the record for the most such totals in a calendar year. Yet, with South Africa’s bowlers showing resilience towards the end, the Proteas are left with a challenging target in a match that has already set the stage for a gripping series.
Brief Scores: India 202/8 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 107 off 50 balls, 7x4s, 10x6s; Tilak Varma 33 off 18 balls, 3x4s, 2x6s; Gerald Coetzee 4-0-37-3) vs South Africa.
