JOHANNESBURG: Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma struck unbeaten centuries as India thumped South Africa by 135 runs in the fourth T20I at The Wanderers Stadium to clinch the series 3-1 on Friday.
After opting to bat first, India posted a massive total of 283 runs at the loss of only one wicket courtesy of Samson and Varma’s unbeaten 210-run stand for the second wicket.
Varma joined Samson after the fall of Abhishek Sharma, who played a quick cameo of 36 runs from 18 balls.
Samson and Varma turned the game on its head with their belligerent hitting during their record stand, which is India’s highest partnership for any wicket in T20I cricket.
Varma scored 120* off only 47 balls which featured 10 sixes and nine boundaries, while Samson struck 109 off 56 with the help of six fours and nine sixes.
In response, South Africa were bundled for a meagre 148 runs in 18.2 overs against a ruthless bowling attack of India.
Arshdeep Singh led the attack for India as he took three quick wickets to leave South Africa struggling at 10-4 at the end of the third over. He returned with figures of 3-20.
Meanwhile, Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel took two wickets each. The remaining three wickets were shared between Hardik Pandya, Ramandeep Singh and Ravi Bishnoi.
For South Africa, Tristan Stubbs played a gutsy 43-run knock from 29 balls, featuring three boundaries and two sixes.
David Miller scored 36 off 27, while Marco Jansen remained unbeaten on 29 off 12, laced with two fours and three sixes.
South Africa Playing XI: Ryan Rickelton, Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram (c), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen (wk), David Miller, Marco Jansen, Andile Simelane, Gerald Coetzee, Keshav Maharaj, Lutho Sipamla
India Playing XI: Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi, Varun Chakravarthy
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