India pulverise Bangladesh by 133 runs to sweep T20I series 3-0
India’s previous highest T20I total was 260/5 it made against Sri Lanka in 2017 in Indore.
Sanju Samson celebrates his century during the third and final T20 International cricket match between India and Bangladesh (PTI)
HYDERABAD: A pillaging maiden T20 International hundred by Sanju Samson turbo-charged India to a record-breaking 297 for 6, its highest total in the format, against Bangladesh in the third and final match here on Saturday.
In reply, Bangladesh was restricted to with India clinching the three-match series 3-0 with a convincing 133-run victory. Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi was the pick of the bowlers, taking three for 30 that included a maiden. He was ably complemented by rookie pacer Mayank Yadav who picked up two for 32, including one off the first ball of the innings. Towhid Hridoy was the top-scorer for the visitor with an unbeaten 63.
India’s previous highest T20I total was 260/5 it made against Sri Lanka in 2017 in Indore.
The host has 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.
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.
Brief scores: India 297/6 in 20 overs (S Samson 111, SK Yadav 75, H Pandya 47, TH Sakib 3/66) bt Bangladesh 164/7 in 20 overs (T Hridoy 63*, L Das 42, R Bishnoi 3/30)
HIGHLIGHTS
232 Runs scored through boundaries by India in Hyderabad, the most by any team in a men’s T20
47 Boundaries by India against Bangladesh - 25 fours and 22 sixes, the most by any team in a men’s T20
18 Number of overs in Indian innings that fetched 10-plus runs, the most in a men’s T20 innings
1 Sanju Samson is now the first Indian wicketkeeper to score a hundred in a men’s T20I