Against South Africa in Durban yesterday (November 8), India opener Sanju Samson broke multiple T20I records, matching Rohit Sharma – the highest run-getter in the format – on several instances.
After being put to bat first in the curtain-raiser, India scored 202-8, thanks to Samson’s 50-ball 107, including 10 record sixes and fours. In reply, South Africa fell short of the target by 61 runs after being bowled out for 141 in 17.5 overs.
ICYMI Sanju Samson joins elite list with consecutive T20I centuries ⬇️#SAvIND https://t.co/ybgiGOjBtq
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) November 9, 2024
Samson’s enterprising knock got his name into record books on numerous occasions. Here are the notable records he broke during the match-winning hundred:
Records broken by Samson during his whirlwind hundred against South Africa
Highest T20I score by an India batter against South Africa
Samson's 50-ball 107 is the highest runs scored by an India batter in a T20I against South Africa. He broke Rohit Sharma's 106 off 66 in Dharamsala in 2015. Apart from the two, India captain Suryakumar Yadav and Suresh Raina have a T20I century against South Africa.
He is the second batter after 'SKY' to score a hundred in the Rainbow Nation.
Joint-most sixes by an Indian in a T20I
His 10 sixes during the blazing innings is also the joint-highest by an India batter, equalling Rohit's tally set against Sri Lanka in 2017 in Indore. In India-South Africa matches, ‘SKY' and Rilee Rossouw previously held the record of hitting the most sixes (8) in an innings.
First Indian to make consecutive T20I hundreds
The wicketkeeper batter became the first Indian to score two T20I hundreds on the trot. He is fourth overall to achieve the feat. Against Bangladesh, Samson smashed the second-fastest century by an Indiam off 40 balls. He also hit Rishad Hossain for five consecutive sixes, becoming the first batter from his country to do so since Yuvraj Singh in 2007.
Fourth India batter to score multiple tons in the format
Samson joined an elite list of India batters who have multiple hundreds in the T20I format. He has the joint third-most number of centuries (2) alongside KL Rahul. Rohit (5) and Surya (4) head the elusive club.
Second Indian with multi-format hundreds against South Africa
Rohit has three in ODIs and one in the T20I format, while Samson has scored one each in both. In his last ODI match on December 21, 2023, in Paarl, he scored 108 runs before being dropped from the side.
Third India batter with multiple hundreds in a calendar year
Samson is also the third Indian to score multiple T20I hundreds in a calendar year. Rohit scored 100* against England and 111* against West Indies in 2018, while Surya is the only player to do it twice. In 2022, he scored 117 versus England and 111* versus New Zealand and a year later smashed 112* and 100 against Sri Lanka and South Africa, respectively.
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