All-round India overcome South Africa in 1st T20I: Key stats
What's the story
An all-round Indian cricket team defeated South Africa in the first T20I held at Kingsmead in Durban.
India rode on Sanju Samson's fiery 107-run knock to post 202/8 in 20 overs.
SA needed a fierce response and that didn't arrive as the side lost wickets at key junctures.
Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller got starts in the middle order but Varun Chakravarthy dismissed both.
Indian innings
Samson leads India's charge before SA pull the strings
It was Samson all the way. He became the first Indian batter to score consecutive hundreds in T20Is.
Samson was superb in the powerplay and never looked back. Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma played around him.
However, once Varma and Samson were dismissed India lost their momentum and had to settle with 202.
India managed only 40 runs from the last 6 overs.
Samson
Fourth Indian batter with multiple T20I centuries
Samson managed 107 from 50 balls. His knock had 7 fours and 10 sixes (SR: 214).
Samson is now the fourth Indian batter with multiple T20I centuries. He joins the likes of Rohit Sharma (5), Suryakumar (4) and KL Rahul (2).
Samson's 107 takes him to 701 runs at 25.96. In addition to 2 tons, he owns 2 fifties as well for India.
Information
7,000 T20 runs for Samson
During his knock, Samson surpassed 7,000 runs in T20s. He attained the milestone in his 282nd match (269 innings) as per ESPNcricinfo. Samson owns 7,048 runs with the help of 5 tons and 46 fifties.
Unique records
Unique records made by Samson
Samson's 107 is now the highest individual score in a T20I between India and South Africa. He surpassed David Miller's unbeaten 106 in Guwahati in 2022.
As per Cricbuzz, 10 sixes by Samson is the joint most for India in a T20 International alongside Rohit who hit 10 against Sri Lanka in Indore in 2017.
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4th batter with this record
Samson's 107 follows the 122 he smashed versus Bangladesh in October 2024. He is now the 4th batter to register successive tons in T20Is after the likes of Gustav Mckeon, Rilee Rossouw, and Phil Salt.
Bowling
Coetzee claims 3 scalps for SA
Gerald Coetzee claimed 3 scalps for SA. He managed 3/37 from his 4 overs. In 7 matches, he now owns 11 scalps at 22.18.
Keshav Maharaj was handy, giving away 34 runs from his 4 overs (1 scalp). He now owns 152 T20 scalps, including 36 for SA.
Nqabayomzi Peter claimed Samson's scalp. He conceded 35 runs from 3 overs.
Information
Jansen shines for SA
Marco Jansen shone gave away only 24 runs from his 4 overs, claiming one scalp. He gave away only 3 and 4 runs respectively in the 18th and 20th over. Jansen now has 91 scalps in T20s, including 14 for SA.
Numbers
Contrasting records for the two sides
South Africa suffered their 5th consecutive defeat in Durban - the most in succession for them at a venue in T20 Internationals.
SA's last win at this venue came in March 2016.
India claimed their 22nd win in T20Is this year. It's the 3rd most by a side after Uganda (29 in 2023) and India (24 in 2022).
SA innings
SA's innings lack character (141/10)
SA lost crucial wickets to be reduced to 44/3. From thereon, Klaasen and Miller added a valuable 42-run stand for the 4th wicket.
However, India hit back with Chakravarthy and Ravi Bishnoi as the hosts were fumbling at 93/7 and then 114/8.
Coetzee's 23-run knock helped SA get to 135/9 before they folded for 141.
Avesh Khan had the final say.
Duo
Chakravarthy and Bishnoi make their presence felt
Charkravarthy managed figures worth 3/25 from his four overs. He now owns 10 scalps in 10 matches for India at 23. He also claimed his career-best figures and a 2nd 3-wicket haul.
Bishnoi chipped in with 3/28 from his 4 overs. He has raced to 54 scalps at 17.42.
In 15 away matches (home of opposition), Bishnoi owns 24 scalps at 17.62.
Information
Avesh and Arshdeep amongst the wickets
Avesh (2/28) has raced to 27 scalps at an average of 27. In six games versus SA, he owns six scalps at 22.16. Arshdeep Singh took one wicket in the contest. He now has 88 scalps for India at an average of 18.43.