HYDERABAD: Wicketkeeper batter Sanju Samson scored a swashbuckling century and propelled India to the highest T20I total by a full-member team.
The reigning T20 champions piled up a mammoth 297/6 in 20 overs in the third T20I against Bangladesh here at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday.
India’s total is however the second-fastest in all of Men’s T20Is as Nepal’s 314/3 against Mongolia remained in tact as the highest T20I total.
Opting to bat first, right-handed opener Sanju Samson gave the home side a blistering start and dominated Bangladesh bowlers with clean hitting.
Samson brought up his maiden T20I century in just 40 balls, the second-fastest by an Indian batter in Men’s T20Is.
The right-handed batter went on to score 111 off just 47 deliveries, peppered with 11 fours and eight sixes.
He was supported in the middle by skipper Suryakumar Yadav, while Riyan Parag and Hardik Pandya gave the finishing touch with quickfire cameos.
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Samson was involved in a marathon 173-run partnership for the second wicket with Yadav, who struck eight fours and five sixes on his way to a 35-ball 74.
Following their back-to-back dismissals, Parag knitted a sensational partnership with Pandya and kept India in contention to amass the 300-run mark.
The duo just took four overs to add 70 runs to India’s total before Taskin Ahmed got rid of Parag in the penultimate over.
Parag scored 34 off 13 balls with the help of one four and four sixes.
Meanwhile, Pandya carried on the demolition until the final over and fell agonizingly short of a well-deserved half-century.
He remained a notable contributor to India’s record total with a breezy 47 off 18 deliveries, which featured four fours and as many sixes.
For Bangladesh, Tanzim Hasan Sakib led the way with three wickets but like his compatriots was hit for plenty.
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