Not many batters are capable of hitting a six on the backfoot off a pacer over extra-cover but Sanju Samson made it look like a walk in the park in the third T20I between India and Bangladesh on Saturday (October 12). Samson was unstoppable during the game and there came an over when all the people in the ground were on their feet as he smashed 5 sixes in one over. India at one point were 177/1 in just 11.1 overs against Bangladesh.
Sanju Samson smashed the Bangladesh bowlers left, right and all over the park giving his opposition a day to forget. Samson smashed his first T20I century for India and it came in just 40 deliveries. Enroute his stellar ton, he smashed Rishad Hossain for five sixes in a row to lit up the stadium.
A pillaging maiden T20 International hundred by Sanju Samson turbo-charged India to a record-breaking 297 for 6, their highest total in the format, against Bangladesh in the third and final match on Saturday. This was also the second highest total in the history of T20Is, going past Afghanistan’s 278/3 against Ireland in Dehradun in 2019. India’s previous highest T20I total was 260/5 made against Sri Lanka in 2017 in Indore.
Watch the clip here...
This is not just a hundred, This is an emotion, This is a statement.
As I always say, This is what you call a comeback in 'Sanju Samson' style
So happy for you Sanju, Well played #SanjuSamson #INDvBAN pic.twitter.com/0L1hN6KD91
Saabir Zafar (@Saabir_Saabu01) October 12, 2024
The comeback has never expected
sanju INDvBAN sanjusamson pic.twitter.com/UYE3V0ZsBCJashwanth Jai (@jashwanthgoshke) October 12, 2024
This one picture tells us why there’s nobody better than @GautamGambhir when it comes to spotting and backing young talent.
Take a bow, GG SanjuSamson INDvBAN pic.twitter.com/aYUiTy0Rzo
Madhav Sharma (@HashTagCricket) October 12, 2024
A knock to remember for ages
Huge respect, Sanju Samson.
Getty #SanjuSamson #INDvBAN #INDvsBAN #TeamIndia #BharatArmy #COTI pic.twitter.com/b8UXVIThXt
The Bharat Army (@thebharatarmy) October 12, 2024
Only wicketkeeper batter in India to have centuries in both ODIs and T20s #SanjuSamson is the name pic.twitter.com/aCnDuEiu0N
Radoo (@Ungamma_ra) October 12, 2024
Sanju Samson's fans right now: #SanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/FlkzEbY6Tt
jazbaat (@R_Vinod01) October 12, 2024
Sanju Samson you beauty#IDFCFirstBankT20ITrophy #INDvBAN #JioCinemaSports pic.twitter.com/JsJ1tPYKgD
JioCinema (@JioCinema) October 12, 2024
#SanjuSamson 0 6 6 6 6 6 sixes beast mode pic.twitter.com/AjP4HdmWUC
MiGr@De (@am_Migrade) October 12, 2024
4 Consecutive Sixes by Sanju Samson. pic.twitter.com/xvqLQmeA6k
Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) October 12, 2024
The hosts have already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series after wins in Gwalior and New Delhi but the academic nature of the match did not hinder the belligerence of Indians.
It was channelised by Samson (111, 47 balls, 11x4, 8x6), who hammered the second fastest T20I century by an Indian after Rohit Sharma (35 balls), and Suryakumar (75, 35 balls, 8x4, 5x6), biffing 173 runs during an electrifying second wicket stand.
After electing to bat, India lost opener Abhishek Sharma (4) early in the innings, falling to a poorly-timed pull off Tanzim Hasan, but what followed was pure mayhem.
It is quite tough to put to shade an innings of Suryakumar in T20Is but Samson did that with a knock of rare brilliance.
Perhaps, stung by the modest outings in the first two matches of this series, Samson strode out with purpose.
The changed attitude found an immediate on-field expression as the right-hander pummelled pacer Taskin Ahmed for four consecutive fours -- two cover drives and as many flicks -- in the second over of the innings.
It was the perfect teaser for the blockbuster action that unfolded in the next 10.3 overs.
No bowler was spared during the batting extravaganza that was based on the single-minded and simple philosophy of naked aggression.
It was so glaring in the 10th over when leg-spinner Rishad Hossain came to bowl. Hossain erred in line and length and Samson creamed him for five consecutive sixes. But the most stunning shot in Samson’s innings was a six off the backfoot off pacer Mustafizur Rahman. The Kerala man, waiting deep inside the crease, judged the slower ball to perfection, and whacked it over extra cover for a maximum, eliciting a quick shake of head from the bowler.
Soon, he brought up his hundred off 40 balls with a boundary off off-spinner Mahedi Hasan and celebrated with a roar and punch before getting melted into a tight embrace by his captain.
Suryakumar too had his own moment when he smashed Tanzim for three fours and a six while reaching his fifty in 23 balls.
But both the batters fell in rather quick succession. Samson was jettisoned by Mustafizur’s well-directed bouncer and Suryakumar became Mahmudullah’s last T20I victim, giving a simple catch to Rishad in deep. But by then India had reached 206 for three in the 15th over.
That itself is a daunting total but Hardik Pandya (47, 18 balls, 4x4, 4x6) and Riyan Parag (34, 13 balls, 1x4, 4x6) flogged the dead horse to milk a further 70 runs for the fourth wicket as India reached a massive total. (With PTI Inputs)
