India Clinches T20 Series 3-1 with Centuries from Varma and Samson

The fourth T20 international, held at DP World Wanderers in Johannesburg, saw India defeat South Africa by 135 runs, securing a 3-1 series victory. India posted a total of 283-1 in 20 overs, with Tilak Varma scoring an unbeaten 120 off 47 balls and Sanju Samson an unbeaten 109 off 56 balls. In reply, South Africa was bowled out for 148 in 18.2 overs, with Tristan Stubbs contributing 43 off 29 and Arshdeep Singh taking 3-20. Tilak Varma had made his T20 international debut against West Indies in 2023. Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma each recorded unbeaten centuries, propelling India to a dominant 135-run victory over South Africa in Johannesburg, thereby securing a 3-1 T20 series win. Samson contributed 109 runs from 56 deliveries, while Varma amassed 120 runs from 47 deliveries. Their remarkable unbroken 210-run partnership for the second wicket enabled India to achieve a total of 283-1. This occasion marked the first instance in a men’s T20 international between full member nations where two teammates registered centuries in the same innings. In their chase, South Africa was dismissed for 148 runs in 18.2 overs, with Arshdeep Singh claiming figures of 3-20. Left-handed batter Varma hit nine fours and 10 sixes. He joined Samson at the crease in the sixth over when the score was 73-1, after Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for 36 runs off 18 balls. Following his unbeaten 107 in the third T20, Varma became the second Indian and only the fifth batter globally to score centuries in successive men’s T20 internationals. Wicketkeeper Samson had previously achieved this milestone as the first Indian, scoring 107 in the inaugural T20 of the current series. During the fourth and concluding T20 match at Wanderers Stadium, Samson struck six fours and nine sixes. The 210-run partnership between Samson and Varma stands as the sixth-highest in all men’s T20 internationals, and notably, it is the highest for the second wicket and the highest ever for India. India’s score of 283-1 represents their second-highest total in men’s T20 internationals, surpassed only by their 297-6 against Bangladesh in October. Varma achieved his century in merely 41 balls, establishing it as the third-fastest century by an Indian batter in men’s T20 internationals. This follows Rohit Sharma’s 35-ball century against Sri Lanka in 2017 and Samson’s 40-ball century against Bangladesh in October. South Africa’s innings began with a collapse to 10-4. Although Tristan Stubbs scored 43 runs off 29 deliveries, the Proteas ultimately suffered their largest T20 international defeat by runs.