In the third T20I against Bangladesh on Saturday (October 12) at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, India’s wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson showcased his explosive talent, marking a pivotal moment in his career. Opening the innings for India, Samson registered his maiden century in the shortest format, unleashing a barrage of powerful strokes that left the Bangladeshi bowlers reeling.
A destructive assault on Rishad Hossain: 5 consecutive sixes by Sanju Samson
Samson’s most remarkable moment came during the 10th over, where he absolutely annihilated wrist spinner Rishad Hossain, hitting him for five consecutive sixes. The over began with a dot ball after Samson was struck on the pads, but he quickly regained his composure. He launched the second ball over the bowler’s head for a six, marking the team’s hundred in just 9.2 overs. The third delivery was similarly dispatched over long-off, followed by another six hit straight back over Hossain’s head. Not to be outdone, he launched the fifth ball in the same direction and concluded the over with a sixth over deep mid-wicket. This spectacular display allowed Samson to register the joint second-highest runs scored in an over by an Indian in T20Is.
Here’s the video:
Sanju Samson – you beauty!🤯#IDFCFirstBankT20ITrophy #INDvBAN #JioCinemaSports pic.twitter.com/JsJ1tPYKgD
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) October 12, 2024
Also READ: IND vs BAN: Fans goes berserk as Sanju Samson smashes second fastest century for India in the 3rd T20I
Building towards a milestone innings
Following his explosive over, Samson continued to build on his momentum, moving into the 90s with relentless aggression. He ultimately registered his maiden T20I century in just 40 balls, a testament to his dominance at the crease. By the time he concluded his innings, he had clobbered 11 boundaries and 8 sixes, fully repaying the trust placed in him by the team management. His innings came to an end as he was dismissed, holed out to deep square leg against Mustafizur Rahman, concluding his outstanding performance at 111 runs off just 47 balls. The roaring applause from the crowd as he walked back to the pavilion underscored his impact on the match.
A stellar partnership with Suryakumar Yadav
Samson’s innings was complemented by an equally impressive contribution from captain Suryakumar Yadav, who added 75 runs to propel India to a staggering total of 297 runs. This score marks India’s highest team total in T20 history, surpassing their previous record of 260 runs. Together, Samson and Suryakumar forged a formidable partnership that showcased their ability to exploit the Bangladeshi bowling attack. They both added 173 runs explosive partnership for the second wicket.
Bangladesh’s brief resistance
After winning the toss, Bangladesh managed to break the opening partnership in the third over, with Tanzim Hasan Sakib taking a catch off Abhishek Sharma, who fell for just 4 runs. However, the onslaught from Suryakumar and Samson was relentless, rapidly pushing the score to 50 runs in just 4.2 overs. India amassed an impressive 82 runs during the powerplay, with Samson reaching his half-century in a blistering 22 balls. By the 10th over, thanks to his remarkable performance, India had already scored 152 runs, demonstrating their intent to dominate.