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Hardik Pandya reclaimed the number one spot in the ICC T20I rankings after a four-match series against South Africa. The 31-year-old was previously in third position before climbing to the top spot.
Hardik Pandya's 1-8 innings reduced the home side to 10-4 to end the contest early as they moved to the wicket, something their hosts could not. Tilak Varma, who had smashed centuries in consecutive innings in the same series with 120 not out from 47 balls, including 10 sixes, also rose to the top 10 spot after the recent rankings.
India thus ended this year's T20I campaign by winning all bilateral series along with the T20 World Cup triumph and victory percentage of 92.
Samson's 109 not out off 56 balls was complemented by Varma's 120 not out in only 47 balls as they took India to an unsurmountable 283 for 1 in 20 overs, their highest total on overseas soil.
In South Africa's run chase, Arshdeep Singh (3/20) swung the ball prodigiously under lights during an opening spell that reduced the hosts to 10 for 4 and was eventually shot out for 148 in 18.2 overs.
Among the plethora of records that tumbled, the most special one will be the two Indian batters scoring centuries in the same T20I innings. Samson and Varma also posted the highest partnership for India in T20 Internationals --- 210 off just 93 balls for the second wicket.
Samson completed his ton in 51 balls while Varma (41 balls) took 10 balls less.
Samson now has three T20I tons in the last five innings which also included two ducks.
It seems brilliance and disappointment exist together for the Kerala man who will certainly increase a lot of selection headaches for Ajit Agarkar when Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant come back in the Indian T20I squad.
For Varma, back-to-back T20I tons on South African soil will not only increase his stocks but it also speaks volumes about the kind of team man skipper Suryakumar Yadav is. Suryakumar decided to relinquish his favourite batting spot, allowing young talent to blossom showing what leadership is all about. Abhishek Sharma (36 off 18 balls) should also get his share of credit for upping the ante in the Powerplay with four huge sixes.
On a good batting track with true bounce on offer, Indian batters hit a record 23 sixes as it was possible to hit through the line by just clearing one's front leg. Samson's nine maximums was one less than Varma's 10.
It only helped India that the opposition's best fast bowler Gerald Coetzee seemed to be carrying a niggle. The two medium pacers Andile Simelane (0/47 in 3 overs) and Lutho Sipamla (1/58 in 4 overs) seemed like lambs for slaughter. The Indians hit 10 sixes from Simelane and Sipamla.
Coetzee was brought by skipper Aiden Markram for his second spell, the damage was done. Such was the nervousness of South African bowlers that they bowled 17 wides in trying to check the momentum.
They didn't vary the pace and pitched it on length as Samson and Varma were severe, either hitting them inside out over extra cover or at times straight down the ground.
Even Keshav Maharaj and Tristan Stubbs were not left unpunished as there was everything on the platter cuts, pulls, slog sweeps, and reverse sweeps. There wasn't a single corner of the ground that didn't feel the power of strokes from the two Indians.
One of Samson's shots hit a lady spectator's cheek. The TV cameras caught her sobbing in considerable pain.
Samson was more muscular, as he would slightly shuffle towards the leg stump and loft the length balls, while the silken Varma would make a mockery of spinners with uppish sweep shots, stand, and deliver down-the-ground hits.
They slowed down a touch nearing their milestones but by then they had done enough to crush the Proteas.
(With PTI inputs)
Hardik Pandya's 1-8 innings reduced the home side to 10-4 to end the contest early as they moved to the wicket, something their hosts could not. Tilak Varma, who had smashed centuries in consecutive innings in the same series with 120 not out from 47 balls, including 10 sixes, also rose to the top 10 spot after the recent rankings.
India thus ended this year's T20I campaign by winning all bilateral series along with the T20 World Cup triumph and victory percentage of 92.
Samson's 109 not out off 56 balls was complemented by Varma's 120 not out in only 47 balls as they took India to an unsurmountable 283 for 1 in 20 overs, their highest total on overseas soil.
In South Africa's run chase, Arshdeep Singh (3/20) swung the ball prodigiously under lights during an opening spell that reduced the hosts to 10 for 4 and was eventually shot out for 148 in 18.2 overs.
Among the plethora of records that tumbled, the most special one will be the two Indian batters scoring centuries in the same T20I innings. Samson and Varma also posted the highest partnership for India in T20 Internationals --- 210 off just 93 balls for the second wicket.
Samson completed his ton in 51 balls while Varma (41 balls) took 10 balls less.
Samson now has three T20I tons in the last five innings which also included two ducks.
It seems brilliance and disappointment exist together for the Kerala man who will certainly increase a lot of selection headaches for Ajit Agarkar when Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant come back in the Indian T20I squad.
For Varma, back-to-back T20I tons on South African soil will not only increase his stocks but it also speaks volumes about the kind of team man skipper Suryakumar Yadav is. Suryakumar decided to relinquish his favourite batting spot, allowing young talent to blossom showing what leadership is all about. Abhishek Sharma (36 off 18 balls) should also get his share of credit for upping the ante in the Powerplay with four huge sixes.
On a good batting track with true bounce on offer, Indian batters hit a record 23 sixes as it was possible to hit through the line by just clearing one's front leg. Samson's nine maximums was one less than Varma's 10.
It only helped India that the opposition's best fast bowler Gerald Coetzee seemed to be carrying a niggle. The two medium pacers Andile Simelane (0/47 in 3 overs) and Lutho Sipamla (1/58 in 4 overs) seemed like lambs for slaughter. The Indians hit 10 sixes from Simelane and Sipamla.
Coetzee was brought by skipper Aiden Markram for his second spell, the damage was done. Such was the nervousness of South African bowlers that they bowled 17 wides in trying to check the momentum.
They didn't vary the pace and pitched it on length as Samson and Varma were severe, either hitting them inside out over extra cover or at times straight down the ground.
Even Keshav Maharaj and Tristan Stubbs were not left unpunished as there was everything on the platter cuts, pulls, slog sweeps, and reverse sweeps. There wasn't a single corner of the ground that didn't feel the power of strokes from the two Indians.
One of Samson's shots hit a lady spectator's cheek. The TV cameras caught her sobbing in considerable pain.
Samson was more muscular, as he would slightly shuffle towards the leg stump and loft the length balls, while the silken Varma would make a mockery of spinners with uppish sweep shots, stand, and deliver down-the-ground hits.
They slowed down a touch nearing their milestones but by then they had done enough to crush the Proteas.
(With PTI inputs)
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