3rd T20I: Samson hits maiden ton as India set new records with series sweep of Bangladesh

Hyderabad: For years, many talked about how much Sanju Samson was talented to be a regular presence in the India T20I team, but got never translated into a big knock. But in front of a Dusshera holiday crowd at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Saturday, Samson finally got his moment to shine.

Samson, who had a lean run so far, smashed a breathtaking 111 off 47 balls – laced with 11 fours and eight sixes at a strike rate of 236.17, to set the base for India posting 297/6 – their highest T20I total ever and second-most in the format and thrash Bangladesh by 133 runs to get a 3-0 series win.

Samson and Suryakumar Yadav, who provided support from the other end with 75 off 35 balls, brought out fireworks ranging from splendid to brutal in their 173-run stand at a run rate of 15.04 to leave Bangladesh shellshocked and rattled.

The lower-order maintained the momentum of Samson and Suryakumar feasting on Bangladesh bowlers as India hit 22 sixes, and 25 fours with a run rate of 14.85 in an extraordinary batting performance. In reply, Ravi Bishnoi’s three-fer and other bowlers chipped in to ensure Bangladesh were restricted to 164/7.

The winning margin of 133 runs, secured in front of a holiday crowd, is also India’s third-biggest by runs in men’s T20Is. Electing to bat first, Samson showed signs of unleashing ruthless carnage on Bangladesh when he hit a brace of delightful drives and flicks – with good timing and placement written on all of them – off Taskin Ahmed in the second over.

After Abhishek Sharma fell cheaply to mark the end of his disappointing series with the bat, Suryakumar Yadav came out all guns blazing with a pull and flick off Tanzim Hasan Sakib going for four and six.

While Yadav quickly brought out his usual boundary-hitting self, Samson continued to use his crease very well to shower boundaries at will, as well as disrupt the line and length of the bowlers, as 82 runs came off the Power-play, their joint-highest total in the six-over phase.

Samson got his fifty in 22 balls on the back of exquisite lofts over the off-side against Rishad Hossain, with a pull sandwiched in between. But the most jaw-dropping moment of the innings was when Samson, deep in the crease, flayed a lofted cover drive off Mustafizur Rahman, which had absolute class written all over it.

Samson left the Hyderabad crowd thrilled again when he hit five straight sixes off an erring Rishad in the arc between long-off and long-on. Shortly after Suryakumar got his fifty, Samson got his century in 40 balls with a four hit over Mahedi Hasan’s head, with a standing ovation from the crowd greeting him and a hug from Suryakumar – celebrating it by showing his biceps.

Samson’s enthralling knock ended when he pulled a leg-cutter from Mustafizur Rahman to deep square leg. In the next over, Suryakumar slogged straight to deep mid-wicket off Mahmudullah, playing his last T20I game.

Hardik Pandya and Riyan Parag continued entertaining the Hyderabad crowd as they hit 11 boundaries between them before the duo and Nitish Kumar Reddy fell in quick succession. Birthday boy Rinku Singh thumped Tanzim for a six over long-on on the last ball of the innings in a grandstand finish for India.

Mayank Yadav struck on the first ball of the chase when Parvez Hossain Emon went for a pull, but the ball lobbed off the glove to first slip. Washington Sundar was the next bowler to strike when Tanzid Hasan went for a cut, but edged to short third. It was followed by Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto trying to reverse-sweep off Ravi Bishnoi but got a top edge behind to the keeper.

Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy joined forces for a 53-run stand before the former was caught at deep mid-wicket off Bishnoi for 42 off 25 balls, as the leg-spinner became the joint-third fastest Indian to pick 50 men’s T20I wickets. Mahmudullah’s final T20I innings ended at eight when he holed out to long-on off Mayank.

Mahedi Hasan went for the big hit, but holed out in the deep off Nitish Kumar Reddy, while Bishnoi got his third scalp as Rishad Hossain gave a simple catch to long-off.

Amidst all this, Hridoy reached his fifty by pulling Bishnoi for six and remained unbeaten on 63 in what was a proper demolition job of the visitors’ by a dominating Indian team.

Brief scores:

India 297/6 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 111, Suryakumar Yadav 75; Tanzim Hasan Sakib 3-66) beat Bangladesh 164/7 in 20 overs (Towhid Hridoy 63 not out, Litton Das 42; Ravi Bishnoi 3-30, Mayank Yadav 2-32) by 133 runs

–IANS