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Samson's Stunning Century Drowns South Africa
Samson's Stunning Century Drowns South Africa
Chakravarthy, Bishnoi claim three wickets apiece to secure 61-run win.
Sanju Samson made history by becoming the first Indian and the fourth player overall to score back-to-back centuries in T20 internationals. His remarkable performance helped India reach their seventh total of over 200 runs this year, securing a 1-0 lead against South Africa in Durban. Samson's century, which he achieved in just 47 balls—the fastest by an Indian against South Africa—showcased his exceptional hitting skills, as he hit 10 sixes out of India's total of 13. This led India to a score of 202/8 in 20 overs, while South Africa fell short by 61 runs.
Samson quickly adapted to the bounce off the pitch and countered it by positioning himself deep in the crease. He made no effort to hit any short deliveries for sixes. When South African pacers like Marco Jansen tried to adjust by bowling fuller, Samson pulled the ball away with impressive strength and authority. Although Abhishek Sharma got out early, Samson led India to 56/1 during the PowerPlay with the help of Suryakumar Yadav.
South Africa's leg-spinner Nqabayomzi Peter offered Samson two half-trackers, which he sent soaring into the deep mid-wicket stands. Just like his explosive innings against Bangladesh in Hyderabad, where he scored 111 off 47 balls, Samson was equally destructive against spin bowling in Durban, racking up 58 runs off just 27 balls.
Patrick Kruger, one of the fast bowlers, used a new strategy by throwing full and wide balls, along with some slower ones, but he was still hit for runs. However, his knuckleball finally got Suryakumar out, as he misplayed a high shot and was caught at deep square leg. At the same time, Samson kept performing well, helping the team reach 100 runs in the 11th over against Keshav Maharaj.
In the 13th over, off debutant Andile Simelane, Samson hit a beautiful shot over wide long-off which also became the best six of the night. He maintained his aggressive approach, driving India toward an impressive total typical of T20 cricket. At 162/2 in the 14th over, Aiden Markram was quite seem to out of the ideas on how to stop the onslaught. The next 12 balls offered South Africa a flicker of hope when Maharaj had Tilak Varma caught by Tristan Stubbs at deep mid-wicket, and shortly after, Samson was caught trying for his 11th six in the 15th over. Unfortunately for India, the middle and lower order struggled to capitalize on the strong start, managing just 27 runs while losing four wickets in the final four overs, finishing with 202/8.
South Africa's hopes for a comeback were quickly rushed by the early wickets of Aiden Markram, who was caught behind in the first over off Arshdeep Singh, and Tristan Stubbs, who fell to Avesh Khan at mid-off in the fourth over. This set the stage for a showdown between Heinrich Klaasen and Hardik Pandya, which Pandya had previously won in the T20 World Cup final earlier this year. This match, however, didn't yield much excitement, while Suryakumar continued to exert pressure with spin bowling. In the final over of the PowerPlay, Varun CV struck gold, having Ryan Rickelton caught by Tilak Varma at long-on.
South Africa's experienced T20 players, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller, tried to take control during the middle overs, hitting any short balls from the Indian spinners. However, bowlers Varun and Ravi Bishnoi kept delivering full-length balls, making it hard for the two aggressive hitters to find space, which got a loud cheer from Samson behind the stumps. Varun was very accurate in the 10th over, giving away just two runs and increasing South Africa's required run rate to 12.50 for the second half of their chase. Bishnoi's googly, which he uses more than traditional leg spin, was tough to pick for Miller, allowing just 1 run in the 11th over. This pressure helped Varun take the wickets of both Klaasen and Miller, who were caught in the deep by Axar Patel and Avesh Khan, respectively.
Bishnoi then tempted the new batter Patrick Kruger with a ball pitched outside off stump, leading to his catch at point. He followed this tight over with another that earned him a double wicket, leaving South Africa at 93/7 after trapping Andile Simelane leg before. Marco Jansen and Gerald Coetzee tried to boost the score by hitting hard, pushing past 100 runs, but Bishnoi took his third wicket by dismissing Jansen.
Coetzee kept attacking and hit two big sixes off Hardik, but his fun ended when Suryakumar made a direct hit, catching him short of his crease. Avesh Khan then finished the game in the 18th over by bowling out Keshav Maharaj.
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