New Delhi: Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson completed successive centuries in T20 Internationals in a fashionable way during the first match against South Africa played at the Kingsmead in Durban on Friday, November 8.
Carrying from his stupendous knock against Bangladesh a month ago in Hyderabad, the Kerala batter slammed seven boundaries and nine sixes against superior bowling attack in South Africa. Samson became the first Indian player to hit successive centuries in the shortest format of international cricket when he took a single on the first ball of the 15th over bowled by Keshav Maharaj.
He started the innings with a cautious approach against the movement of lanky pacer Marco Jansen, but took on left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj to the attack with a boundary and a six in their first face-off in the third over. Though India lost the early wicket of Abhishek Sharma in the fourth over, Samson didn’t lost the motive score big runs and was fluent in his plan.
He smashed Jansen and Gerald Coetzee for a six each to take India past the 50-run mark in the powerplay itself. He showed respect to Maharaj by taking singles in the seventh over, but went berserk against the leg-spin of Nqabayomzi Peter in the following over.
The Indian gloveman hit back-to-back sixes with the second one coming from a pull after clearing his front leg. The ball was dispatched over the deep mid-wicket stand for his fifth maximum of the day. He brought up his third half-century in the shortest format in 27 balls.
Watch the video of the moment here:
Tiger hain tu Sanju Tiger… Score, Score, Score! 🔥
Sanju Samson smashed 5️⃣0️⃣ in no time! Watch the 1st #SAvIND T20I LIVE on #JioCinema, #Sports18, and #ColorsCineplex! 👈#TeamIndia #JioCinemaSports pic.twitter.com/RTIvckGRsc
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) November 8, 2024
Samson was later caught by Tristan Stubbs off Peter’s bowling in the 16th over. He departed after scoring 107 from 50 balls with his innings laced by seven fours and 10 sixes at a staggering strike rate of 214.
Sanju Samson continues terrific form
Sanju Samson came into the South Africa tour on the back of a scintillating maiden T20I ton against Bangladesh in the final T20I played in Hyderabad on October 12. A flurry of batting records were shattered in that game which India won comprehensively by 133 runs. Samson brought his century in 40 balls, which was the second fastest by an Indian player after Rohit Sharma’s 35-ball ton against Sri Lanka. He was dismissed for 111 from 47 balls in that game.
Sanju Samson became the first Indian cricketer to score back-to-back centuries in T20 Internationals. The feat was achieved in the first T20I against South Africa in Durban. He made 107 on Friday to follow his sensational 111 against Bangladesh in the third T20I in Hyderabad last month. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
