The T20 World Cup 2024 champions, India, have played like “world champions”! Although this is now Suryakumar Yadav’s side, the Men in Blue have schooled the “runners-up”, winning the bilateral series 3-1. Incredibly, it wasn’t just a win. It was a statement by Team India, who continue running over their juggernaut game by game. The ultra-aggressive approach has trampled every opposition, and now South Africa bore the brunt as Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma went on a six-hitting spree.
Record-breaking Sanju Samson, Tilak Varma
The young batting sensation Tilak Varma was the centrepiece of this batting blitzkrieg, smashing an unbeaten 120 off a mere 47 deliveries. Varma’s innings was a treat to the eyes, laced with 9 boundaries and a staggering 10 maximums. The left-hander’s clean ball-striking and ability to find the gaps in the field left the South African bowlers searching for answers. He has now certainly nailed that number three spot, having racked up two consecutive T20I centuries.
But Varma’s heroics were matched by the experienced Sanju Samson. The wicket-keeper batter played a scintillating knock of 109* off 56 balls, showcasing his wide range of shots and impeccable timing. Samson’s effortless boundary-hitting complemented Varma’s brute force, as the duo built a record-breaking 210-run partnership off just 93 deliveries. This stands as the highest-ever T20I partnership for India for any wicket.
This innings will go down as one of the most dominant batting performances in the history of T20 cricket. With 23 sixes struck during the course of the innings, the spectators at the Johannesburg stadium were treated to a run-scoring extravaganza. Not to mention, one fan had a bad experience too! India’s total of 283/1 is now their second-highest in the format and their highest against the Proteas.
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Arshdeep Singh dusts SA’s chase within 3 overs
After the batting pyrotechnics of Tilak (120* off 47) and Samson in the first innings, the Indian bowling unit, led by the crafty Arshdeep Singh (3/20), turned the screws on the hosts under the Johannesburg lights. The left-arm pacer’s spell was a masterclass in swing bowling, making the same pitch that had earlier resembled a batting paradise look like a minefield.
The Proteas’ chase began like a horror movie, with the scorecard reading a dismal 10/4. The new-ball partnership of Arshdeep and Hardik Pandya wreaked havoc, making the mammoth target of 284 seem light years away. While Tristan Stubbs fought valiantly with a 43-run cameo off 29 deliveries, it was merely a footnote in a contest that was effectively over within the powerplay.
David Miller did provide some entertainment with three monstrous sixes measuring over 100 meters, but these were mere consolation fireworks in what had become a foregone conclusion. The stark contrast between the two innings was so dramatic, it seemed as if someone had secretly altered the pitch conditions during the innings break. Varun Chakaravarthy took two wickets again and ended the four-match series with a whopping 12 wickets, the most by any Indian in a bilateral T20I series.
The victory was a perfect culmination of India’s dominance in the series, where both their centurions, Tilak and Samson, will have countless stories to narrate to their grandchildren.
IND (283/1) beat SA (148/10) by 135 runs
Tilak Varma 120* (47) | Arshdeep Singh 3/20 (3)
Tristan Stubbs 43 (29) | Lutho Sipamla 1/58 (4)
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