Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma in action© AFP
Records toppled as Team India sent fans into a frenzy with a thumping 134-run victory in the 4th T20I against South Africa. Johannesburg saw India make history with Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma redefining the standards of T20I cricket. Their blitzkrieg made it a hard day for statisticians as records tumbled. Runs, runs, and more runs were the story of the final T20I of the series as India continued to surge to new heights under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, with a 3-1 series win over the Proteas.
Sixes pelted down at the Wanderers Stadium, leaving South Africa shell-shocked.
The duo didn’t spare any part of the ground as they brought thunder to the field with their sheer aggression. The effort from Samson and Tilak, laced with Abhishek Sharma’s quick-fire 36, propelled India to a gigantic score of 283/1, the fifth-highest total in men’s T20I.
Samson and Tilak became just the third pair with hundreds in the same men’s T20I innings. Czech Republic’s Sabawoon Davizi and Dylan Steyn became the first to achieve the feat against Bulgaria in 2022.
Japan’s Kendel Kadowaki-Fleming and Lachlan Yamamoto-Lake replicated the elusive record against China earlier this year.
India has hammered three 250-plus totals in men’s T20Is, the most by any team in the history of the format. India eclipsed the Czech Republic, Japan and Zimbabwe, who have two 250-plus totals each.
The unbeaten 210-run partnership forged by Samson and Tilak for the second wicket is the first-ever double-century stand for India in T20Is.
On a record-breaking night in Johannesburg, India smoked 23 sixes, the joint-third-highest by any team in a men’s T20I innings. Zimbabwe holds the record with a whopping 27 sixes against Gambia last month.
India’s memorable 283/1 is the highest total by any team in South Africa in the T20 format. The previous highest registered was 271/3 by Titans against Knights in Potchefstroom in 2022.
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