SA vs IND, 1st T20I, Highlights: Sanju Samson’s 47-ball hundred, Varun and Ravi Bishnoi’s 3-fer help India beat SA by 61 runs. India lead series by 1-0.
Brief Scores: SA vs IND, First T20I: IND 202/8 (Sanju Samson 107, Tilak Varma 33, Gerald Coetzee 3/37) beat SA 141 (Heinrich Klaasen 25, Gerald Coetzee 23, Varun Chakravarthy 3/25) by 61 runs to got 1-0 up in the series.
In a repeat of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final a few months ago, South Africa hosted India in the first 4-match T20I series at Durban.
India fielding a young side returned to winning ways, following a thumping 61-run over the hosts.
Talking Point: Abhishek Sharma’s continuous poor outing with the bat
While India won the game comprehensively, they would like to address their batting woes, especially that of opener Abhishek Sharma. After a century against Zimbabwe earlier this year, the left-hander made just 66 runs in his next six outings. Today, he again failed to make his opportunity, getting out for seven runs.
Given India’s competition for the opening slot, it is high time the young left-hander found some consistency at the top of the order.
Sanju Samson blazes away to a second successive T20I ton
After being inserted into bat by the visiting skipper Aiden Markram on overcast conditions, India lost their first wicket with the out-of-form opener dismissed by Gerald Coetzee in the fourth over. Despite this setback, some positive batsmenship by skipper Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson took India past 50 inside the powerplay.
The latter continued his good run form, making his second successive fifty-plus score in the format. Their 66-run stand was broken in what was a 12-ball ninth over by pacer Patrick Kruger as India reach 99/2 at the halfway mark. The visitors upped the ante in the next, scoring 68 runs in that phase with Samson hammering his second T20I century.
A strong finish was on the cards, but the Proteas made a strong comeback in the last five overs, conceding just 35 runs, and India ended their innings at 202/8.
Read More: Sanju Samson finally arrives, smashes second-fastest T20I century for India
Bishnoi and Chakravarthy cumulative figures of 6/53 turn the game India’s way
Chasing a competitive 203 was always going to be an uphill task for the hosts and it became more so difficult after an ordinary powerplay where they lost three wickets. This phase saw them score 49 runs and the trio of Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan & Varun Chakravarthy.
Runs dried post first six overs for the hosts as the two spinners India spinners Varun & Ravi Bishnoi kept a stronghold. Eventually the former spilled the slow-moving partnership between David Miller & Heinrich Klaasen (42 in 37 balls) to put the game firmly in the grip of India.
Their combined spell of 6/53 was decisive as it restricted SA’s total to 141.
Statistical Highlights of the first T20 between SA and India
- Andile Simelane made his T20I debut for South Africa in this game.
- Sanju Samson brought up his second T20I century off just 47 balls.
- Samson is the first India batter and fourth overall to score two successive centuries in T20I cricket. Gustav McKeon, Phil Salt, and Rilee Rossouw are the other batters who achieved this.
- Samson became the fourth batter from India to score two or more centuries for India in the format after Rohit Sharma (5), Suryakumar Yadav (4) and KL Rahul (2).
- 202/8 is India’s fourth highest total against South Africa in T20Is.
What’s Next
The two sides will move to Gqeberha for the second T20I, which will be played on 10 November. While India would like to extend their lead, hosts SA will be determined to square the series.
Read More: SA vs IND, T20Is: Have India aced the T20I jigsaw puzzle?
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