Johannesburg [South Africa], November 15 : India batter Tilak Varma on Friday achieved a historic feat during the fourth and final match against South Africa in Johannesburg.
The 22-year-old Tilak Varma became the second Indian to hit centuries in consecutive innings in T20Is. The youngster played an unbeaten 107-run knock in the previous third match of the series against South Africa. Tilak joined the illustrious club alongside Sanju Samson.
In the fourth T20I match of the series on Friday, Tilak scored 120 runs from 47 balls at a strike rate of 255.32. He slammed 9 fours and 10 sixes during his time on the crease.
Earlier, the India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson was the first Indian to hit hundreds in consecutive innings in T20Is. His first ton came against Bangladesh in the third T20I match and the second one came against the Proteas in the first game of the series, which helped him achieve the landmark.
On Friday, after winning the toss, India's stand-in skipper Suryakumar Yadav opted to bat first. The decision proved fruitful as the team delivered an exceptional performance.
Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma opened for India, forging a solid 73-run partnership. Abhishek displayed an impressive knock, hitting 2 fours and 4 sixes, but his innings ended in the sixth over when Lutho Sipamla dismissed him.
However, the Proteas couldn't capitalise on the breakthrough as Samson continued to dominate, now paired with Tilak Varma. The duo unleashed a relentless assault on the South African bowlers, who struggled to contain their onslaught.
As the innings entered the death overs, the partnership showed no signs of slowing down. In the 18th over, Sanju Samson brought up his century in just 51 balls, followed by Tilak Varma scoring his second T20I hundred in the very next over.
The record-breaking 210-run partnership between Samson and Tilak lifted India to a formidable 283/1. Samson contributed an explosive 109 runs off 51 balls, while Tilak smashed an unbeaten 120 off just 47 deliveries.
The South African bowling unit appeared lacklustre, with Lutho Sipamla being the only bowler to take a wicket. However, Sipamla also conceded the most runs, allowing the Indian batters to capitalise.
South Africa now face a daunting target of 284 runs to win the match in Johannesburg.