Sanju Samson etched his name in cricket history by becoming the first player to hit three T20I centuries in a calendar year. His remarkable achievement came during the fourth T20I against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg, on Friday. Samson’s brilliant knock played a pivotal role in India’s record-breaking performance.
The Indian team posted a mammoth 283/1, their highest overseas T20 total, shattering the previous record. It was also the highest total ever scored at the iconic Wanderers Stadium.
Samson Breaks Records
Samson’s third T20I hundred placed him third among Indian players with the most T20I centuries. He surpassed KL Rahul’s tally of two and now trails only Rohit Sharma (5) and Suryakumar Yadav (4). Notably, Samson achieved his three centuries in last five innings.
The Indian wicketkeeper’s explosive innings consisted of 6 fours and 9 sixes, reaching his century in just 51 balls. This knock also marked Samson’s second ton in the ongoing series against South Africa.
Tilak Varma Shines Alongside Samson
Tilak Varma joined the party with a scintillating 41-ball century, becoming the second Indian to score back-to-back T20I hundreds. His innings featured 9 fours and 10 towering sixes. Together, Samson and Tilak achieved a historic feat – the first instance of two players from the same ICC full-member team scoring centuries in a T20I match.
Varma and Samson now share another unique record. They are the only Indian batters to score two T20I centuries against the same opposition.
India’s Domination at the Wanderers
India’s innings started aggressively, with opener Abhishek Sharma smashing 36 off 18 balls. After his dismissal, Samson and Varma built an unbroken partnership that powered India to an imposing total.
The match also marked India’s highest overseas T20 score and the highest T20I total ever recorded at the Wanderers.
This high-scoring affair added multiple records to India’s illustrious T20I history:
- Samson became the first player with consecutive T20I centuries in a year.
- Tilak Varma joined Samson as the second Indian to achieve back-to-back T20I tons.
- India set their highest overseas total of 283/1.
- For the first time, two batters from the same full-member team scored centuries in a T20I match.
Most T20I Centuries by Indian Players
Here’s the updated list of Indian players with the most T20I hundreds:
1. Rohit Sharma – 5
2. Suryakumar Yadav – 4
3. Sanju Samson – 3
4. Tilak Varma – 2
5. KL Rahul – 2
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