Johannesburg, 15 November (IANS). On the occasion of Dev Diwali in the country, on Friday, openers Sanju Samson and Tilak Verma created fireworks with their bats against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium here. On the basis of their unbeaten partnership of 210 runs, India batted first in the fourth and final T20 match and scored a huge score of 283/1.
This is India’s second highest score in T20 against any team. At the same time, this is also the biggest partnership from India in T-20 International.
After winning the toss for the first time in the series, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav chose to bat. Sanju Samson (109 not out) along with Abhishek Sharma (36) added 73 runs for the first wicket in 5.5 overs. He was caught by wicketkeeper Heinrich Klaasen on the ball of Lutho Sipamla. After this the South African bowlers did not get any success. Sharma hit four sixes and two fours in his innings of 18 balls.
After this, Samson, along with Tilak Verma (120 not out), thrashed all the South African bowlers. Samson hit nine sixes and six fours in his 109 unbeaten runs in 56 balls. Out of 47 balls, Verma sent 10 through the air and nine on the ground outside the boundary.
A total of 23 sixes and 17 fours were hit from India’s side. Thus, 206 runs were scored only through boundaries. This is a record of sixes by India in any T20 match. Earlier this year on October 12 in Hyderabad, India had scored 297 runs, in which 22 sixes and 25 fours were hit.
The score of 283 against South Africa is India’s highest score and second highest score against any team.
South Africa used seven bowlers to break the Samson-Verma pair, but was unsuccessful.
India scored 73/1 in six overs of powerplay. India’s 100 runs were scored in 8.3 overs and 200 runs were scored in 14.1 overs.
India is leading 2-1 in the four-match series. South Africa needs to score 284 runs to level the series.
–IANS
AKJ/ABM
