1st T20I: Scintillating Samson scores back-to-back tons as India soar to 202 vs South Africa

Durban, Nov 8 (IANS) Sanju Samson struck a second century in as many matches in T20Is as India reached a daunting total of 202/8 against South Africa in the first T20I of the series at the Kingsmead Cricket Ground here on Friday. 

Samson scored 107 runs in 50 deliveries and became the first Indian player to hit consecutive T20I centuries. His scintillating innings saw the 29-year-old hit seven boundaries and 10 sixes to hammer the fastest century by an Indian against the Proteas in a T20I game.

With overcast and rain having influenced the playing conditions in favour of the bowlers, and Marco Jansen conceding only two runs in the opening over, the Indian batters were expected to have a tough time in the middle after the hosts won the toss and elected to bowl first.

But Samson carried his form from the series against Bangladesh and started creating havoc from the second over.

Both Samson and Abhishek Sharma (7) whacked the ball, off Markram’s bowling, for a boundary each in the second over and the former hit a four and six off Keshav Maharaj’s opening two balls in the very next over.

Just when India seemed to be taking the upper hand in the game, Gerald Coetzee made the breakthrough with his first delivery. A back of the length delivery saw Sharma try to clear long-on but failed to hit the middle of the bat and was caught by Markram, who made no mistake despite being in a tricky position while running back from mid-on.

Skipper Suryakumar Yadav (21) joined Samson, who was dealing in boundaries, and showed his intent by hitting the ball straight over the head of Coetzee later in the over. Both batters continued their aggressive approach and India reached 56/1 at the end of the Power-play.

Desperate to break the partnership which was taking threatening proportion, Markram introduced Patrick Kruger in the attack in ninth over. Despite bowling five extras and conceding 15 runs, Kruger claimed the important wicket of Yadav off the final delivery to reduce India to 90/2.

Out came Yadav’s Mumbai Indians' teammate Tilak Varma (33). The 22-year-old, along with Sanju Samson, boosted the ever growing run-rate and took India to the 150-run milestone in 14th overs. Samson continued his onslaught and reached his historic century in 47 deliveries in the 15th over but Maharaj got the wicket of Varma later in the same over.

Attempting to shift gears, Samson decided to target Peter Nqabayomzi in the next over and despite hitting the second ball of the over far into the stands departed in the same over. A short ball Samson launch into the sky and Tristian Stubbs pouched an impressive catch right on the boundary-line to send the centurion back to the pavilion.

Samson and Varma’s 77-run partnership saw India set up perfectly for the death overs. But Hardik Pandya’s (2) immediate dismissal pushed the visitors on the backfoot. Small cameos by Rinku Singh (11), Axar Patel (7), Arshdeep Singh (5) and Ravi Bishnoi’s (1) helped India reach a massive 202/8 in their allotted 20 overs.

India has set a daunting target of 203 for the Proteas, which would be the highest chase at the venue if successful. Despite the big score, skipper Aiden Markram will be happy with how his team reacted in the death overs and restricted India from setting up what could have been a bigger target.

Brief scores:

India 202/8 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 107, Tilak Varma 33; Gerald Coetzee 3-37) vs South Africa