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Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson set the stage on fire at Wanderers as they becomeโ€ฆ

Soumyaroop Mukherjee

New Delhi: Indian batters Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson had a night to remember as they clinched blistering centuries. They became the first Indian pair to score two centuries in a match. They also stitched together a 210-run partnership for the second wicket and that was the highest T20I partnership for India ever. The 210-run stand was also the highest ever against South Africa in T20Is and the highest for the second wicket or below by any side in the shortest format.

India scored the highest T20I score away from home as the men in blue scored 281/1 after 20 overs.

Is Samson the new opener for India?

Samson (109 not out off 56 balls), who smashed a superb century in the first game, once again pummelled the Proteas in the company of Varma (120 not out off 47 balls) who has come into his own with newfound confidence and vigour at number three. The Kerala-born wicket-keeper batsman now has three T20I tons in the last five knocks which also included two ducks while Varma has scored back-to-back T20I tons. Samson completed his ton in 51 balls while Varmaโ€™s (41 balls) took 10 balls less.

Samson has been knocking on the doors of the selectors for quite some time for the opening slot. Now, with former Indian skipper Rohit Sharma out of the picture, Samson has a great opportunity to put his candidature for the opening slot in the white ball team.

Tilak Varma

Meanwhile, Tilak Varma became only the second Indian to score two consecutive T20I centuries during the fourth match against South Africa at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Friday. He now joins Sanju Samson on this exclusive list of Indian batters who have hit consecutive centuries in T20Is.

Tilak slammed a hundred in 41 balls, following his maiden T20I hundred in the third match in Centurion. He ended his innings at 120 not out from 47 balls, hitting 10 sixes and nine fours.

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