Sanju Samson slammed a second successive T20I century to set up a 61-run win for India in the first of four matches against South Africa at Kingsmead on Friday.
The opening batsman hit 10 sixes and seven fours in a spectacular innings of 107 off 50 balls in an Indian total of 202-8 in Durban.
It proved more than enough. Leg-spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi bowled in tandem and took three wickets apiece as the Proteas crumbled to 141 all out.
Samson vowed to “keep my feet on the ground” after “10 long years of international cricket” during which he has been unable to nail down a regular place in Indian white-ball teams.
His only two previous international centuries have come in the past 12 months – 108 in an ODI against South Africa last December and 111 in a T20I against Bangladesh in Hyderabad last month.
“I was in a zone, I just wanted to go with the flow,” he told SuperSport after his innings, which ended with a leaping catch by Tristan Stubbs on the deep midwicket boundary as he tried to hit another six off leg-spinner Nqaba Peter.
HIGHLIGHTS: Proteas vs India (1st T20I)
India opening bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan both took early wickets in South Africa’s reply before Chakravarthy and Bishnoi bowled immaculately in unbroken four-over spells.
They tied down Proteas stars Heinrich Klaasen (25) and David Miller (18) before both were dismissed in the space of three balls by Chakravarthy going for big hits.
Suryakumar Yadav, captaining an India team missing many of the country’s leading players, either preparing for a Test series in Australia or representing India A in Australia, praised his team for their attacking approach.
He said he was not concerned by the only blemish in the Indian performance – losing six wickets and scoring only 35 runs in the last 5.2 overs of their innings after Tilak Varma (33) and Samson fell in quick succession.
“We just want to be fearless,” said Yadav.
Proteas captain Aiden Markram admitted that Samson had put a largely inexperienced bowling attack under pressure but said he was disappointed with his team’s batting effort.
“It was a really good wicket. We would have loved to have made a much better start,” said Markram.
© Agence France-Presse
Photo: Darren Stewart/Gallo Images
