CENTURION, Nov 13:
Tilak Varma’s fabulous maiden T20I hundred formed the fulcrum of India’s narrow 11-run victory over South Africa in the third match here today. India now have a 2-1 lead in the four-match series.
Batting first, Tilak Varma (107 not out produced) a batting masterclass while slamming his maiden international hundred as India posted a massive 219 for six against South Africa in the third T20I.
Tilak got ample backing from Abhishek Sharma who made a brisk 50 after SA skipper Aiden Markram invited the visitors to bat first. The 22-year-old Tilak tore into the South African pacers as he hammered seven sixes and eight fours during his innings off a mere 57 balls, powering India to their second highest score against the Proteas in this format.
On his part, Abhishek banished a poor run with the bat with a stroke-laden half-century, scoring 50 off only 25 balls laced with five sixes and three fours as the two southpaws dazzled with the bat.
With his rich arsenal of strokes in all directions, Tilak dominated the bowling with complete authority and also helped India stay on course through the blips.
First, he forged a 107-run stand with Abhishek for the second wicket to build a strong platform after the early dismissal of Sanju Samson (0).As India stuttered in the middle overs with Keshav Maharaj (2/36) applying the brakes, Tilak ensured his team did not squander the advantage with a late charge – his last 52 runs came off only 22 balls in the last six overs.
Tilak’s charge also masked the failure for skipper Suryakumar Yadav (1), Hardik Pandya (18) and Rinku Singh (8).
At the start, Samson was beaten by low bounce on the second ball from Marco Jansen as the Indian opener, who made a hundred in the first match, fell to his second successive duck in this series. But unlike the last game, India made a strong recovery as Tilak and Abhishek made merry on the track which had true bounce and carry. Abhishek provided a huge relief to the Indian camp with his fifty as hitting through the line after making room served him well. The 24-year-old also ended his eight-match barren run with this knock.
Brief scores:
India: 219/6 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma, 107 not out, Abhishek Sharma 50; Keshav Maharaj 2/36, Andile Simelane 2/34).
SA: 208/7 in 20 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 41, Marco Jansen 54; Varun Chakravarthy 2/54, Arshdeep Singh 3/37). (PTI)
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