India kicked off their T20I series against South Africa with a powerful 61-run victory at Kingsmead, Durban, showcasing Sanju Samson's brilliance with the bat and an impressive spin assault led by Ravi Bishnoi and Varun Chakaravarthy.Samson’s sensational 107 off 50 balls and India’s potent bowling lineup sealed the win, marking a formidable start to the series.
India, batting first, amassed 202/8 in 20 overs, largely on the back of Sanju Samson's second consecutive T20I century. Samson’s 107 was a masterclass in aggressive yet controlled hitting, featuring seven boundaries and an incredible ten sixes. This remarkable knock, achieved with a strike rate of 214, marked the fastest T20I century by an Indian against South Africa. It also secured Samson’s place in an elite club of players with back-to-back T20I centuries, joining Gustav Mckeon, Rilee Rossouw, and Phil Salt.
India’s innings began with a brisk partnership between Samson and Abhishek Sharma. Sharma attacked Aiden Markram’s first over with a boundary but was dismissed soon after by Gerald Coetzee for 7 runs off 6 balls. Suryakumar Yadav then joined Samson, and the pair put on a rapid 38-run partnership, with Suryakumar contributing a handy 21 off 17 balls, striking two fours and a six. Samson’s heroics, however, were the backbone of India’s innings, as he plundered South Africa’s bowlers, notably scoring 58 runs off just 27 balls against spin, making it the third-highest tally by an Indian against spin in T20I history.
As wickets fell at regular intervals, Samson held his ground, launching an assault on both pacers and spinners. His breathtaking fifty came in just 25 balls, marked by a series of towering sixes, including a memorable pull shot over mid-wicket off Nqabayomzi Peter in the seventh over. He celebrated his century by raising his bat to the Durban crowd and his teammates, underlining his growing influence as a reliable T20 batsman.
Despite Samson’s efforts, India’s middle and lower order struggled to maintain the momentum, managing only 78 runs in the last eight overs.
Coetzee was South Africa’s standout bowler with figures of 3/30, taking crucial wickets of Hardik Pandya (2), Rinku Singh (11), and Axar Patel (15). Patrick Kruger and Keshav Maharaj picked up a wicket each, with Maharaj dismissing Tilak Varma (33 off 18) shortly after Samson’s departure.
Set a daunting target of 203, South Africa needed a solid start but faced immediate hurdles. Aiden Markram, South Africa’s captain, opened with an assertive two boundaries but was dismissed by Arshdeep Singh, edging to Samson for 8 off 4. This set the tone for a challenging chase as India’s bowlers capitalised on the early breakthrough.
Tristan Stubbs (11 off 11) provided brief resistance, but Avesh Khan dismissed him with a well-placed delivery, caught by Suryakumar Yadav at mid-off. Opener Rickelton added 21 off 11 balls, striking three boundaries and a six, before falling to Varun Chakaravarthy’s precise bowling. By the fifth over, South Africa was reeling at 44/3, with a required run rate climbing to 11 runs per over.
Varun and Bishnoi then took charge, choking the South African middle order. Bishnoi’s economical spell, giving away only one run in the 11th over, was a turning point, especially with big-hitting Heinrich Klaasen (25 off 22) and David Miller (18 off 22) struggling to find runs. Varun’s 11th over saw him claim both Klaasen and Miller, crucial dismissals that left South Africa with only all-rounders and tailenders.
The spinners dominated South Africa’s middle and lower order, exploiting the pitch’s turn and bounce. Varun Chakaravarthy (3/25) and Ravi Bishnoi (3/28) were almost unplayable, collectively accounting for six of South Africa’s wickets and giving away just 53 runs in their combined nine overs.
Bishnoi’s over saw him dismiss Simelane, who had struck a six off his very first ball, and Marco Jansen, who tried to clear the deep but was caught by Hardik Pandya. This display of disciplined bowling ensured that South Africa’s big hitters couldn’t launch a recovery.
In addition to their remarkable stats, Varun and Bishnoi's consistency in containing South Africa’s scoring led to a spin comparison of 2/79 in eight overs for South Africa’s spinners versus India’s 6/61 in nine overs, highlighting the visitors' superior spin attack.
Gerald Coetzee attempted to revive South Africa’s innings with a quick 23 off 11 balls, including three sixes.However, a run-out in the 16th over, orchestrated by Suryakumar Yadav’s direct hit, put an end to his efforts and further diminished South Africa’s hopes.
With the game slipping away, Avesh Khan returned to clean up the lower order, bowling Maharaj (5 off 9) to conclude the innings at 141, giving India a convincing 61-run victory. This emphatic win highlighted the depth in India’s bowling attack, with Arshdeep Singh (1/25) providing early breakthrough and Avesh Khan (2/28) handling the closing overs.
India’s win not only set a strong foundation for the series but also highlighted the value of Samson’s explosive batting and India’s versatile bowling attack. With this victory, India took a 1-0 lead in the series, heading confidently into the next T20I match.(UNI)
Brief Scores: India 202/8 (Samson 107, Tilak 33; Coetzee 3/37) beat South Africa 141 all out (Klaasen 25, Rickelton 21; Varun 3/25, Bishnoi 3/28) by 61 runs.
