NEW DELHI: India dished out an all-round performance to inflict a massive 135-run defeat on South Africa in the fourth and final T20I in Johannesburg on Friday. With this victory, India clinched the four-match series 3-1.
Chasing a mammoth 284-run target, South Africa were rattled by pacer Arshdeep Singh’s brilliance as he swung the ball both ways. He dismissed Reeza Hendricks in the first over and then quickly followed up with the wickets of Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klaasen.
Scorecard | As it happened
His astonishing effort helped India reduce the hosts to a disastrous 10/4 within just 3 overs, effectively ending the contest early.
South Africa’s only focus now was to save face, with David Miller and Tristan Stubbs leading the fightback. The pair put on 86 runs before Varun Chakravarthy struck, dismissing Miller.
Stubbs fell off the very next ball to Ravi Bishnoi, and India wrapped up the innings, bowling South Africa out in the 19th over. Marco Jansen showed his all-round abilities with a few big hits, but it was too little, too late.
Earlier, Sanju Samson’s precision and Tilak Varma‘s muscular elegance combined as India effortlessly dismantled the South African bowling attack to post a commanding 283/1.
This total not only marked India’s highest-ever T20I score overseas but also became the highest by any team on South African soil.
Among the numerous records shattered, the standout achievement was the rare feat of two Indian batters scoring centuries in the same T20I innings. Samson and Varma also set the record for India’s highest-ever partnership in T20Is—210 runs off just 93 balls for the second wicket.
Samson (109* off 56 balls), who had already struck a brilliant century in the first game, once again put the Proteas to the sword alongside Varma (120* off 47 balls), who has been in sensational form at number three, brimming with confidence and vigour.
Samson now has three T20I centuries in his last five innings, including two ducks, while Varma has scored back-to-back centuries.
Samson reached his century in 51 balls, while Varma took just 41 balls to bring up his ton—10 balls fewer than his partner.
Abhishek Sharma (36 off 18 balls) also deserves credit for setting the tone in the Powerplay with four huge sixes.
On a flat track offering true bounce, the Indian batsmen were in full flow, hammering a record 23 sixes. Samson’s nine maximums were just one shy of Varma’s 10.
