Durban: India beat South Africa by 61 runs in the first T20I of the series at the Kingsmead Cricket Ground here on Friday night.
Batting first, Sanju Samson struck a second century in as many matches in T20Is as India reached a daunting total of 202/8. In reply, the hosts could managed 141 in 17.5 overs.
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.
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav (21) joined Samson after fall of Abhishek Sharma (7), 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.
South Africa lost captain Aiden Markram (8) in the first over. Spinners Varun Chakaravarty and Ravi Bishnoi grabbed quick wickets in the middle overs to put the Proteas in backfoot. David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen added 42 runs for the 5th wicket. Klaasen struck 25 runs from 22 balls.
Brief scores: India 202/8 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 107, Tilak Varma 33; Gerald Coetzee 3-37) beat South Africa 141/10 in 17.5 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 25, Gerald Coetzee 23, Ryan Rickelton 21, Varun Chakaravarty 3/25, Ravi Bishnoi 3/28). Agencies
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