T20I series win in South Africa special: Laxman

JOHANNESBURG: India head coach for South Africa tour VVS Laxman has hailed the T20 International series triumph as “a special effort” after his team secured a thumping 135-run win in the last match here.

India won the four-match T20I series 3-1, with the likes of batters Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson, and bowler Varun Chakravarty making big impact.

“Really proud of our guys for the spirit with which they played this entire series. 3-1 win is a special effort, brilliantly led by Suryakumar. Sanju Samson and Tilak were unstoppable with the bat and Varun Chakravarthy was outstanding with the ball,” Laxman posted on his ‘X’ account.

“The entire team the way they played and enjoyed each others success, couldn’t be prouder of the boys. Congratulations on a memorable win,” the batting great said.

Captain Suryakumar also described the series win as a “special” one.

“Well done boys, congratulations to all. Everybody knows how difficult it is to win series overseas. The last time when we came here, it was 1-1,” he said while addressing the team at the dressing room after the series win.

“This time, even after we led 2-1 in the series, we decided how to play the last match (aggressively), everybody stepped up. Credit goes to everybody. We won this series as a team.”

He also thanked the non-playing members of the team -- Vijaykumar Vyshak, Jitesh Sharma and Yash Dayal -- for their support. He also thanked the support staff for their valuable inputs.

“It’s a special win and I am sure everyone must be happy. At the same time we take a lot of learning and will go back and reflect. All the best to all those who are turning up in domestic matches, I am also going (for that).”

3 - 250-plus totals by India are the most by any team in men's T20Is

23 - Sixes hit by Indian batters on Friday are the joint-third-highest by any team in a men’s T20I innings

1 - India's total of 283 is also the highest in South Africa in the T20 format

3 - Hundreds for Samson in his previous five T20I innings. He became the first batter to register three hundreds in a calendar year in T20Is

4 - Individual hundreds for India in the four-match series against South Africa - two each by Samson and Tilak

5 - Batters with hundreds in consecutive innings in men's T20Is, including Tilak