In a thrilling display of cricketing prowess, Sanju Samson etched his name into the annals of T20I history with a spectacular century that catapulted India to a record-breaking total against Bangladesh. The packed stadium in Hyderabad bore witness to a masterclass in batting, as Samson’s maiden T20I ton helped India post an imposing 297 for 6 – their highest T20I score and the second-highest ever recorded, falling just short of Nepal’s 314 for 3.
Samson’s blistering innings of 111 runs from just 47 balls was marked by an aggressive show of precision and power. He was brilliantly partnered by Suryakumar Yadav, who bolstered the innings with a quickfire 75 from 35 balls. Together, they put on a dazzling 173-run partnership in a mere 69 deliveries that laid the foundation for India’s massive score. Following their departure, Hardik Pandya and Riyan Parag continued the onslaught with their fiery cameos, scoring 47 off 18 and 34 off 13 respectively. The Indian batting lineup exhibited a show of relentless aggression, unleashing a total of 25 fours and 22 sixes upon the beleaguered Bangladeshi bowlers.
Opting to bat, India began cautiously with a modest seven runs in the opening over. However, Samson soon took charge, striking four consecutive boundaries off Taskin Ahmed in the second over. Though India lost Abhishek Sharma to a mistimed pull shot off Tanzim Hasan, Suryakumar Yadav wasted no time adjusting to the crease, opening his account with a six and setting the tone for a high-scoring affair.
As the PowerPlay concluded, India had accelerated to a commanding 82 for 1. The removal of field restrictions did little to slow India’s momentum. Samson reached his half-century in a mere 22 balls, dominating the bowlers, particularly in a 30-run blitz against Rishad Hossain that included five back-to-back sixes. Bangladesh’s woes compounded as Taskin Ahmed bowled a no-ball, allowing Suryakumar to notch up the 150-run partnership with another six.
Samson’s century was nothing short of phenomenal, reaching the milestone off just 40 deliveries.
. He eventually perished after two further boundaries, caught at deep square leg. Suryakumar soon followed, falling to veteran Mahmudullah at deep mid-wicket. Despite the fall of these two key wickets, Bangladesh’s troubles were far from over. The tailenders capitalized on the momentum, with Parag and Pandya piling on runs and exhibiting masterful stroke play, while Bangladesh’s fielding woes allowed the score to climb even higher.
The task ahead for Bangladesh was monumental. Their response started on a dismal note with Mayank Yadav claiming the wicket of Parvez Hossain Emon with his first delivery, the ball being neatly caught by Parag. Despite Tanzid Hasan and Najmul Hossain Shanto’s brief 30-run counter-attack within the first few overs, it quickly became evident that the target was beyond reach. Tanzid fell to Sundar, while litigious attacking gestures from Litton Das offered brief displays of valiant resistance.
Litton’s partnership with Towhid Hridoy yielded a 53-run stand before he too was caught in the deep off Tilak Varma, bringing an end to their slim hopes of a successful chase. In a match where Bangladesh’s batting lineup faltered under pressure, Mahmudullah’s farewell was marked by a disappointing score of 8. Varun Chakravarthy showcased an economical bowling effort, strangling the Bangladeshi batsmen for merely 23 runs in his allotted overs.
Despite Towhid Hridoy’s unbeaten 63, which included a spectacular six to reach his half-century, Bangladesh never posed a serious threat, falling significantly short at 164 for 7. This comprehensive 133-run victory sealed the series 3-0 for India, celebrated as a massive triumph and a fitting full-stop for Mahmudullah’s T20I journey. As India exulted in their accomplishment, the echoes of Samson’s historic innings lingered, a testament to his enduring brilliance on the cricket field.
Brief Scores: India 297/6 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 111, Suryakumar Yadav 75; Tanzim Hasan 3-66, Mahmudullah 1-26) beat Bangladesh 164 for 7 (Towhid Hridoy 63*, Litton Das 42; Ravi Bishnoi 3-30, Mayank Yadav 2-32) by 133 runs.