India defeated South Africa by 135 runs in Johannesburg and won the T20 series 3-1 thanks to centuries from Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma.
As India scored 283-1, Samson hit 109 off 56 balls and Varma hammered 120 off 47 in an incredible, continuous partnership of 210 for the second wicket. In a men’s T20 international involving full member nations, it is the first time two teammates have scored hundreds in the same innings. Arshdeep Singh took 3-20 as South Africa was knocked out for 148 off 18.2 overs in response. Following Abhishek Sharma’s removal for 36 off 18, left-hander Varma joined Samson at 73-1 in the sixth over and went on to smash nine fours and ten sixes.
Varma became the second Indian and just the fifth batter overall to reach hundreds in back-to-back men’s T20 internationals after scoring an undefeated 107 in the third T20. The first Indian to accomplish the record was wicketkeeper Samson, who hit 107 in the first Twenty20 match of this series. Samson blasted nine sixes and six fours in the fourth and final Twenty20 match at Wanderers Stadium. His 210-run partnership with Varma is the highest for India, the second-wicket partnership, and the sixth-highest in all men’s T20 internationals.
India defeated Bangladesh in October with 297-6, and their current total of 283-1 is their second-highest in men’s T20 internationals. After Rohit Sharma (35 balls against Sri Lanka in 2017) and Samson (40 balls against Bangladesh in October), Varma achieved his century off just 41 balls, making it the third-fastest century by an Indian batsman in men’s T20 internationals. Tristan Stubbs scored 43 off 29 after South Africa went to 10-4 in reply, but the Proteas still suffered their biggest T20 international loss by runs.
Read More:https://thelocaljournalist.com/south-africa-defeats-india-by-3-wickets-and-level-the-series-1-1/
