Sanju Samson scored his maiden T20I century which rocketed India to a mammoth 297 for 6 – their highest T20I score and second-highest overall after Nepal’s 314 for 3. Sanju Samson blazed 111 off just 47 balls and was ably supported by Suryakumar Yadav (75 off 35) in a 173-run stand off just 69 balls.
Hardik Pandya (47 off 18) and Riyan Parag (34 off 13) added the finishing touches with blistering cameos towards the end of the innings, that saw the hosts hit as many as 25 fours and 22 sixes. Riding on this big total, India cruised to a 3-0 series win with Bangladesh falling short by 133 runs in veteran Mahmudullah’s final T20I game.
Pitch and Toss
Pitch report: It’s a high scoring venue. 63m and 68m square boundaries. 77m down the ground. There is a bit of moisture and it looks a touch soft because of the overnight rain. The pitch is a mix of red and black soil. It’s still a flat pitch, but there will be assistance for the bowlers, reckons Abhinav Mukund.
India skipper Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and chose to bat with Ravi Bishnoi replacing Arshdeep Singh in the Playing XI. Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto with no idea what was to procure ahead with his team was happy to bowl first made two changes in Playing XI with Tamim and Mahedi in Playing XI.
Sanju Samson’s maiden T20I ton and Suryakumar’s quickfire 75 propels India to record 297 for 6.
Having opted to bat first in front of a festive Hyderabad crowd, India played the first over cautiously for only seven runs, which, as it turned out, was the most economical over of the innings. But the hosts immediately flicked on the switch in the second over as Samson hit four consecutive boundaries off Taskin Ahmed.
Tanzim Hasan picked up Abhishek Sharma after the batter miscued a pull to mid-wicket. Suryakumar wasted no time at the crease scoring a six to get off the mark. At the end of the PowerPlay, which featured a 19-run takedown of Tanzim, India had raced away to 82 for 1.
The removal of field restrictions made no difference. Samson brought up his 50 off 22 balls laying into Rishad Hossain in a 16-run over. Sanju Samson played a wonderful shot over extra-cover off Mustafizur for a maximum. Things got much worse for Rishad in his second over as Sanju Samson tore into slot deliveries by smashing five consecutive sixes in a 30-run over. The wheels had completely fallen off for Bangladesh by then as Taskin bowled a beamer which Suryakumar followed with a six to bring up the 150-run partnership.
Sanju Samson hit a four back over Mahedi’s head to bring up his century off just 40 balls. He fell a few balls later after scoring two more boundaries, holing out to deep-square leg. Suryakumar fell in the next over, caught at deep mid-wicket off Mahmudullah, but there was more punishment awaiting Bangladesh.
Tanzim’s horrid night continued as Pandya scored 21-runs off him while Parag toyed with Mahedi at the other end. Rounding off an innings to forget, Bangladesh also missed two simple run-out chances, one of them in rather comical fashion as Parag and Hardik were stranded mid-pitch but Litton Das lobbed the throw above the bowler’s head.
Parag was caught on the boundary in the next over but the fielder had touched the ropes, adding six more runs to the score. But Taskin, the bowler, had the last laugh as Parag nicked a scoop to Litton. Tanzim picked up Hardik and Nitish Reddy off back-to-back balls but birthday boy Rinku Singh clinched a six off the last ball of the innings.
When Tanzim Hasan got Abhishek Sharma out with a bouncer first ball, little would have Bangladesh known that would be their last moment of joy for the evening. Sanju Samson had already messed around with Taskin Ahmed’s lines by backing away and hitting four successive fours in the second over. The new batter, Suryakumar, took only one ball before hitting his first six.
Sanju Samson wasn’t to be left behind. He backed away and got the better of Mustafizur Rahman too with a six and a four. Suryakumar then capped off the powerplay with shots that should be considered audacious but are the norm for him, managing to pull balls well behind square when most batters would be happy going just behind. The last of those was a pull over midwicket, taking India to their joint-highest powerplay score, 82.
Suryakumar was to unfurl a carved six over backward point that he had no right sending there, but the most memorable shots came from Sanju Samson. Some of his eight sixes were audacious but they were not muscled. His control percentage for a strike-rate of 236.17 was a high 81.
The most incredible of Sanju Samson’s sixes was when he almost stepped on the stumps to create a short length on a Mustafizur slower ball, and drove it off the back foot over extra cover. Leg spinner Rishad Hossain, who went for 55 last match, was just shot. He kept erring in length, starting the first over with a short ball, but in his second he kept letting Sanju Samson hit him for sixes down the ground without having to use his feet. Some of it was the pitch, but a lot of it was his lengths: too full. In the end, Rishad’s two overs went for 46 runs.
The innings was a monkey off the back for Sanju Samson, whose talent had yet to translate into numbers in international T20s. It showed in his extravagant celebrations on reaching both the fifty and the hundred, India’s second-quickest. For a change, Suryakumar had to be content with being the support act in the 173-run second-wicket stand.
Usually you expect a bit of relief when you break such a long stand, but Riyan Parag and Hardik Pandya had other ideas. Parag took three balls to hit his boundary, Pandya the same. Between them they scored 81 off 31 balls, hitting four sixes apiece. Pandya managed to outdo the Sanju Samson back-foot six over extra cover when he made his off Tanzim even bigger.
Again a good slower short ball with no room, but it still sailed over extra cover. Two wickets in the final over made sure India didn’t get to 300, but that was hardly any consolation for Bangladesh
The 24,000-odd spectators at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium got their money’s worth as Samson and Suryakumar lit up the night with a blazing 173-run second-wicket stand in 70 deliveries.
Sanju Samson started proceedings by making room and driving Taskin Ahmed through cover, and flicking the pacer past midwicket when he strayed on the pads. Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain had the worst of it when Sanju Samson battered him for five sixes in the tenth over. Rishad, like many of his colleagues, erred in length and paid the price.
A sweetly-timed back foot drive into the cover stands off speedster Mustafizur Rahman showed that Sanju Samson was in the form of his life. The Kerala wicketkeeper-batter brought up his maiden T20I hundred in 40 balls. Sanju Samson celebrated the second fastest T20I century by an Indian with a huge smile and arms flexed.
Captain Suryakumar was not far behind, thrilling the crowd with an adventurous scoop to send a Tanzim Hasan Sakib bouncer over the wicketkeeper’s head for six. Suryakumar was in the zone – not even a dangerous beamer from Taskin fazed the Mumbai cricketer. The Samson-Suryakumar show took India to an incredible 152 for one at the end of 10 overs.
The nightmare continued for Bangladesh even after Samson and Suryakumar departed. Now it was time for Riyan Parag (34, 13b, 1×4, 4×6) and Hardik Pandya (47, 18b, 4×4, 4×6) to make merry. Bangladesh had a complete meltdown in the 18th over, when ‘keeper Litton Das lobbed a throw over the bowler’s head when both batters were stranded at the other end.
Ravi Bishnoi shines with 3 wickets as Bangladesh humiliates to 133 runs loss vs India
It could still get worse and it did for Bangladesh. The chase began with a brute of a bouncer from Mayank Yadav for a golden duck for Parvez Hossain. Mahmudullah’s last outing in T20 international at 8 off 9 to go with bowling figures of 2-0-26-1. Ravi Bishnoi, playing his first match of the series, showed off India’s spin riches with three wickets. Towhid Hridoy’s half-century, at a strike rate of 150 with three fours and five sixes, did manage to prevent the biggest T20I defeat for a Test-playing team bug it was Bangladesh’s biggest loss in terms of runs.
In response, Bangladesh were never really in the chase. Parvez Hossain Emon was bounced out first ball by Mayank Yadav, which was gloved to Parag at first slip. Najmul Hossain Shanto and Tanzid Hasan took the attack to India in the next two overs scoring 30 runs across them. But Tanzid was caught off Sundar at short third-man. Litton found his feet immediately with five boundaries in an over off homeboy, Nitish. Shanto was too early into his reverse sweep off Ravi Bishnoi, as the leg spinner bowled a wicket-maiden.
Towhid Hridoy and Litton had a 53-run partnership, not giving up on the fight until the latter holed out to Tilak Varma in the deep. Mahmudullah fell for just 8 in his last T20I. Varun Chakravarthy bowled an economical spell conceding only 23 runs in his four overs as the required run-rate went through the roof.
Nitish scalped Mahedi for three while Rishad was caught at long-off for a duck off Bishnoi. Towhid Hridoy brought up his 50 with a six and remained unbeaten on 63, the only shining light for Bangladesh with the bat. It wasn’t close to enough as Bangladesh scampered to 164 whilst India closed out the demolition job.
In the very first ball of the Bangladesh reply, Parvez Hossain Emon was bounced out by Mayank Yadav. The visitor could not catch a break. Wrist spinner Ravi Bishnoi, drafted into the eleven in place of Arshdeep Singh, picked up three wickets. Litton (42, 25b) and Towhid Hridoy (63 no., 42b) shored up their individual tallies, even if the team cause was long lost.
Presentations and Road Ahead
Najmul Hossain Shanto the losing skipper said : We didn’t play our best cricket. We didn’t execute our plans as a batting group in all the three matches. Bowling-wise, couple of overs we bowled well in some of the matches. Today all the bowlers didn’t bowl well. It is very important that we believe in ourselves that we can compete against any team. We have to change a lot of things, especially the home wicket.
Players need to take responsibilities. (Positives) The way Hridoy batted today was impressive. I really like all the seamers, they tried to execute their plans. The top-order batsmen need to improve a lot.
Suryakumar Yadav the winning skipper said : We’ve achieved a lot as a team. I want to have selfless cricketers in my team. We want to be a selfless team. As Hardik said, we want to enjoy each others’ performance on the field, off the field, spend as much time as possible and that camaraderie is carrying on the field and we are having some fun.
The chat around the team has been like that, Gauti bhai said the same at the start of the series and when we went to Sri Lanka as well, no one is bigger than the team. If you are on 99 or 49 or anything, if you feel you have to hit a ball out of the park for the team, you have to hit it and the same thing Sanju did and I am really happy for him.
We have to be very flexible. Everyone has to chip in. The way they showed it in this series, it was commendable. (Areas to improve) Just maintain the good habits, continue that on the field and just be the same.
Sanju Samson Player of the Match for his 111 said : The dressing room energy and the boys really have lots of happiness for me. I am very happy. They are happy that I did well. It can get frustrating knowing what you can do out there and the way I have been batting, I thought that could have done much better.
Those thoughts keep coming in your head. With lot of experience and so many games I have played, I know how to deal with the pressure and failures. I have failed a lot, so I know how to manage my mind accordingly. I keep telling myself I just need focus on the process, keep doing my training, keep believing in myself and one day it’ll come soon. Playing for the country, you come in with a lot of pressure.
That pressure was there, I wanted to perform and I wanted to show what I am capable of. I kept reminding myself I just need to keep it as basic as possible, focus on one ball at a time, keep playing my shots. The dressing room and the leadership group which we have, they keep telling me, “I know what type of talent you have and we back you no matter what,” Not in words, in actions also they’ve shown me.
In the last series I got two ducks and went back to Kerala thinking, “kya hoga bhai,” but they backed me in this series and I am very happy that I gave something to smile for my captain and coach. (On his victory punch) It has a long story. I have been trying to do something like this (five sixes in an over) from last one year. I was chasing it and it happened today.
Hardik Pandya Player of the Series for his all round show said : The kind of freedom the skipper and the coach has given, that has been fantastic to the whole group. That is coming to all the players who are playing. At the end of the day, this sport, if you can enjoy, that’s the best way you can get maximum out of yourself.
When the dressing room is enjoying, when everyone’s enjoying everyone’s success, you feel like doing more. I think that has contributed a lot. Body has been fantastic, God has been kind to help me out. The process continues, nothing changes. (His best shot today) Over the covers when I just chipped it.
India handed out one final shellacking to Bangladesh on their final night of the tour, but this was one for the ages. The second-highest T20I score, three short of 300; Sanju Samson’s silken 40-ball century, Suryakumar Yadav’s improvisation and power; and then the finish by the powerful lower middle order.
There was no respite for Bangladesh: 22 sixes (joint-highest for a Test-playing side) and 25 fours combined for the most runs in boundaries in a T20 innings, a record 18 overs went for ten runs or more, one of them went for five sixes, and three bowlers conceded 50 or more. Two of the 26 dot balls turned out to be no-balls, a catch went down, and a run-out was missed.
The fireworks go off in Hyderabad after this demolition job from the hosts. A complete mismatch! Everything went right for the home team. India won the toss, batted first again and posted their highest T20I total – a mammoth 297. Sanju Samson wasted little time to get going and blasted a scintillating century. SKY played a brilliant knock as well but his knock of 75(35) was completely eclipsed by Samson’s and that tells you how classy that knock was from the Indian opener.
Hardik and Parag continued to hit sixes for fun as India got close to 300 in their quota of 20 overs. In reply, Bangladesh lost Emon off the very first ball. Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy batted well. The former struck five successive fours off Nitish and the latter notched up a fifty. They forged a fifty stand for the half-century stand for the fourth wicket but the result was a foregone conclusion.
SKY collects the trophy and hands it over to the youngsters who made their debut in this series – Nitish Kumar and Mayank Yadav. They lift the trophy and the confetti goes off. The support staff join the players as they pose for the photographs along with the WINNERS hoarding.
Bangladesh came to India with their confidence sky-high having won a historic Test series in Pakistan. But they’ll probably go back home demoralized. Barring the opening session of the first Test, they hardly competed in any of the matches in this tour. India, on the other hand, ticked a lot of boxes in this T20I series.
The young and relatively inexperienced side played an aggressive brand of cricket to bully Bangladesh in all the matches. Curtains down on this series. India’s next assignment is a three-match home Test series against New Zealand commencing from October October 16th. Bangladesh, meanwhile, will be hosting South Africa for two Tests beginning on October 21st.