IND vs BAN: Sanju Samson’s blitz help imperious India amass second highest total in T20 internationals | Cricket News
If not for Nepal’s 314/3 against Mongolia, India’s 297 would have been the world record score in T20 internationals. Given the way the pitch in Hyderabad has played in the Indian Premier League 2024, season-high score was always on the cards but India aced it even further to enthrall the packed crowd and send a signal to the cricketing world.The image of the night was Sanju Samson flexing his biceps after reaching his maiden T20 hundred for India and the second fastest an Indian. The only thing more befitting would have been had every Indian batsman done that after they connected with a murderous thwack or two in the middle. It was total mayhem as sixes flew into the crowd, the fours thudded into the boards, and the question that loomed was if India would reach 300. They fell three short, and the run-loot was kicked off Samson.
That bicep celebration is a thing he does these days, but it had initially come in 2020 after a fifty in the IPL. He had explained it thus: “Reminding myself what my name is, I think Samson is the strongest man in the world, I keep remembering that. I am very strong and I can hit more sixes”. If that was self-reminder, this plunder in Hyderabad was a reminder to the cricketing world.
You could choose any Bangladeshi bowler and find a bruise left Samson. The ever-smiling Taskin Ahmed was first to bleed multiple fours in an over, incidentally in the second of the innings, when Samson flexed his knees, shuffled outside leg and creamed him on the up through covers. From then on, the bowlers kept changing, the treatment remained the same.
The leg-spinner Rishad Hossain received the strongest dose. 0,6,6,6,6,6 is what Rishad’s second over went for. He has put the balls on the platter tossing up right underneath Samson’s bat who didn’t need a second invitation to go after the bowling on the night. To be fair to the leg-spinner he varied his pace and tried to induce a mime during the over but Samson was too good.
The expressions on the wicketkeeper Litton Das went from frustration, possible anger even, to resignation – all in one over, the story of Bangladesh in fact. The only mimed shot played Samson in the entire evening came in the 14th over with the score already reading 196, when he swatted a slower one from Mustafizur Rahman to long leg. He walked back with a brimming smile on his face and a standing ovation from the 24,000 Hyderabadi crowd for an incredible knock.
Not that they were sitting down when the Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav went all-guns blazing. Mr 360 went from sixes to just to left of the wicketkeeper to all around the park – all stands were kept happy. The partnership flooded in173 runs from just 70 deliveries and the fervour with which Suryakumar enveloped the centurion Samson with a huge hug made the crowd clear their lungs again. Suryakumar sunk his head onto the shoulder of Samson, who was beaming ecstatically.
Bangladesh did manage to pick off both Samson and Surya in space of an over but they had no relief. Their nightmare continued as Hardik Pandya’s cameo rubbed further salt to the injury. The ease with which Hardik was playing his shots, it seemed like he was in a range-hitting practice session. The swat-twirl sent a ball from Tanzim Hasan Sakib over midwicket boundary and the next one, fuller and outside off stump was stunningly chipped over extra covers.
Bangladesh compounded their misery missing runout chances, overstepping a few times, and bowling head-high beamers. In fact, during the 19th over Taskin Ahmed’s two overstepping no-balls did its best to get India close to that illusory 300-mark. Their white flag was up a long while before that.
Business as usual for bowlers
The result of the game was all but decided after the first innings. However, it was an opportunity for Bangladesh batters to push their limits and play with freedom on a wicket which was batter-friendly. But it wasn’t to be. The chase started with Mayank Yadav rushing Parvez Hossain Emon who fell, edging an attempted heave to Riyan Parag at slips. And it was the first ball of their innings.
As ever, Suryakumar jumped in with his frequent-and-often-successful changes. Washington Sundar came in the Powerplay to scalp Tanzid Hasan. Ravi Bishnoi, who replaced Arshdeep Singh in the game, picked three wickets with his sliders and googlies.
Amidst the chaos, Towhid Hridoy marched on to a half-century. He did stitch a 53-run partnership with Litton Das but once Litton fell, the wickets kept tumbling. Mahmudallah, playing his final T20I, too could not make any meaningful contribution. The one good news for Bangladesh is that their tour is over.
