New Delhi: Tilak Varma continued his superb scoring form by smashing his second successive century in the ongoing fourth T20I between India and South Africa at the Bull Ring in Johannesburg. Varma, who hit a magnificent ton in India’s third T20I win at Centurion, raced to his second T20 International century in just 41 balls.
Tilak remained unbeaten on 120 off 47 balls while Sanju Samson, who also slammed his second century of the series, finished not out on 109 off 56 balls. The duo stitched an unbeaten 210-run stand off 86 balls to take India to a mammoth 283 for 1 in 20 overs.
Courtesy of the sensational knock, Tilak joined Samson in the elite list of batters to score back-to-back centuries in T20I cricket. Tilak is only the second Indian batter after Samson to achieve the feat and becomes only the sixth batter in the history of T20 internationals to slam successive centuries.
9⃣ 🤝 7⃣2⃣
Sanju Samson 🤝 Tilak Varma
𝗜𝗻 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲: The ONLY two Indians to score 2⃣ successive T20I 💯s 👏 👏
Live ▶️ https://t.co/b22K7t8KwL#TeamIndia | #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/lvm31r6s5c
— BCCI (@BCCI) November 15, 2024
Hundreds in consecutive innings in T20Is
Gustav Mckeon
Rilee Rossouw
Phil Salt
Sanju Samson
Tilak Varma
Carnage at the Bull Ring
After India opted to bat first at the Bull Ring, Abhishek Sharma, given an early lifeline by Reeza Hendricks at first slip, combined with Samson to stitch a quickfire 73-run stand. Lutho Sipamla gave the Proteas a much-needed breakthrough in the sixth over by dismissing Abhishek for 36 but their joy was shortlived.
Tilak began from where he left in the third T20I at the Centurion and put the pressure back on the hosts with a superb hitting display. Samson, too, found his groove after back-to-back ducks in the second and third T20Is. Both batters punished the Proteas bowlers and raced to their hundreds courtesy of a record 210 partnership – the highest for any wicket for India. The duo also helped India reach their second-highest total in T20Is and the most number of sixes (23) in an innings.
Tilak Varma reached his second T20I century in just 41 balls to become the fastest batter to reach the three-figure mark in a T20I match vs South Africa. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
