In an unforgettable 4th T20I, India delivered a batting masterclass against South Africa, recording their highest T20 total against the Proteas and the second-highest in the format’s history. Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma stole the show with dazzling centuries, dismantling the opposition’s bowling attack in style.

The Indian openers started aggressively, but the real fireworks began after Abhishek Sharma‘s dismissal. Samson, the star of the first game, and Tilak, the standout from the third match, combined forces to light up the Joburg sky with their extraordinary stroke play.

Century duel thrills the crowd

Both Samson and Tilak raced toward their centuries, providing the crowd with a thrilling spectacle. Tilak took the lead in the closing overs, dominating the strike, while Samson reached his milestone shortly after, solidifying his place as one of India’s T20 stalwarts.

South Africa’s performance in the field was far from ideal, with their bowling lacking discipline and their fielding plagued by errors. This allowed the Indian duo to capitalize on every opportunity and pile on a mammoth score.

Sanju Samson’s calm and composed century

Samson reached his second century of the series in the 18th over with a single off Gerald Coetzee. Unlike his typical flamboyant celebrations, Samson opted for a subdued acknowledgment of the crowd, raising his bat without removing his helmet or flexing his biceps. His innings showcased his ability to ride the bounce and find gaps, as demonstrated by the punch off a short-of-length delivery to bring up his ton. This knock, arguably better than his first-century effort, was a testament to his growing maturity as a T20 batter.

Tilak Varma’s exuberant celebration

Tilak followed suit with a back-to-back century, achieving the milestone in the 19th over against Lutho Sipamla. The youngster, a product of Suryakumar Yadav’s guidance, celebrated with raw emotion—leaping in the air, removing his helmet, and pointing to the sky in gratitude. Tilak’s innings had a mix of flair and fortune, but his intent and aggressive approach defined his success. He reached the milestone with a daring dive to complete a second run, showcasing his determination and hunger for big scores.

Joining an elite club of T20 centurions

With their magnificent knocks, Samson and Tilak joined an exclusive list of players who have scored consecutive centuries in T20Is:

• Gustav Mckeon
• Rilee Rossouw
• Phil Salt
• Sanju Samson
• Tilak Varma

Here is how fans reacted

Those are two great knocks!
👏👏 Samson and Tilak

— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) November 15, 2024

Century Ka Tilak. Solid 💯 on South African soil by Varma.

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) November 13, 2024

Three centuries in just 5 games. First player to score three T20i centuries in a year.
Sanju has made up for the lost time. Incredible, Chetta 👏👏

— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) November 15, 2024

Consecutive centuries fr Tilak Varma & also 2 centuries fr Samson in this series 👏👏👏👏 #INDvsSA #TilakVarma #SanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/2J1U9eiroW

— Babai-Abbai అభిమాని 🚁 (@Dhanush42930901) November 15, 2024

Centuries from Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma guide India towards a mammoth total 💪#SAvIND 📝: https://t.co/nCcnyy7c2U pic.twitter.com/BLjrRC9L6n

— ICC (@ICC) November 15, 2024

Tilak Varma – 120* (47).
Sanju Samson – 109* (56).
Abhishek – 36 (18).

INDIA HAMMERED 283/1 IN A T20I MATCH VS SOUTH AFRICA. 🚨 pic.twitter.com/D6JiH9BDds

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) November 15, 2024

Sanju Samson – 109*(56)

Tilak Varma – 120*(47)

INDIA POSTED 283 FOR 1 FROM 20 OVERS IN SOUTH AFRICA 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/69wKhF3TLa

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 15, 2024

Ithaanda Match uh 🥵🥵
Sanju Samson & Tilak Varma 🔥#INDvSA pic.twitter.com/g2tRLyomM4

— Aʀᴜɴ Tᴠᴋ (@Bloddy_Arun) November 15, 2024

This is the FIRST EVER instance of 2 centuries in a T20I innings. (full-members)

Sanju Samson 💯
Tilak Varma 💯 pic.twitter.com/I1oeaOM8C6

— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) November 15, 2024

Centuries for both Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson
Take a bow 🙏#SanjuSamson #TilakVarma #SAvsIND pic.twitter.com/RsFAKUQku5

— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) November 15, 2024

Sanju samson and Tilak Varma century 💯🔥#INDvSA pic.twitter.com/fppHW8y7Pl

— Desi Bhayo (@desi_bhayo88) November 15, 2024

Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma light up the game with blistering centuries!

Sanju Samson: 100* off 51 balls
Tilak Varma: 100* off 41 balls

They’re unstoppable 🔥👏#INDvSA #SanjuSamson #TilakVarma pic.twitter.com/YQAxwlqZCY

— 𝐼𝓃𝓃𝑜𝒸𝑒𝓃𝓉_𝑅𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁 💫 (@Rinu2497) November 15, 2024

Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma to South Africa bowlers 🤣.#INDvSA pic.twitter.com/htuY7m0X15

— Ashutosh Srivastava 🇮🇳 (@sri_ashutosh08) November 15, 2024

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