India vs South Africa LIVE: Samson’s record ton takes IND to 202/8 in 20 overs

India vs South Africa 1st T20I LIVE Score: Sanju Samson becomes first Indian to score centuries in two consecutive T20Is

In what could be a high-octane rematch of the 2024 T20 World Cup final, South Africa prepare to host India at the Kingsmead in Durban as the two teams begin their four-match T20I series to shoot South Africa’s big domestic summer in walk. Although there are plenty of personnel changes between the tense and famous World Cup final and the teams that will be fielded on Friday, there will still be the air of this being something of a revenge series for the Proteas after the heartbreak at Barbados.

The hosts will still be captained by Aiden Markram but will look to replace Quinton de Kock, who has ruled himself out of the series. Although de Kock is not officially retired from the T20I format, CSA will look at alternatives to their talismanic left-arm opener.

Beyond the questions of what a Reeze Hendricks-Ryan Rickleton opening duo might look like, South Africa’s middle order will continue to be their strength. Aiden Markram at number three will be followed by a fearsome 4-5-6 of Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller. The trio threatened to win the World Cup final for South Africa and in home conditions they are capable of setting fire to even the most high-quality bowling line-ups. Adept at both spin and pace, India’s main concern will be how to dismiss the trio before they can cause too much damage in the death overs.

South Africa are also expected to give a debut to Durban native Andile Simelane, an all-rounder who could extend the batting order, which was the concern for the Proteas and their ultimate Achilles heel in Barbados. On the bowling front, they will be without Kagiso Rabada, who they have rested for the upcoming tests, as well as Anrich Nortje. A combination of Gerald Coetzee, Ottneil Baartman and Marco Jansen are likely to be the frontline pacers, while Keshav Maharaj will be their spinner at Kingsmead.

Meanwhile, the visiting India team will be captained by Suryakumar Yadav and will have a number of changes of their own throughout the lineup. A powerful and destructive opening partnership between Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma will be tasked with getting the powerplay off to a powerful start, comfortable with the pace and bounce that will be on offer throughout the series.

Tilak Varma is expected to get a start, likely at number three, after a few months away from the team, while other players got their chance. Tilak would like to use this opportunity to stake his claim as one of India’s white-ball futures. Meanwhile, captain Suryakumar will retain his preferred number four position in the middle order. Hardik Pandya seems to have hammered number five home with his ability to contribute on two fronts, enabling Rinku Singh to bat at number six as an out-and-out finisher for this Indian team. There is plenty of power on offer in this Indian lineup, but in a transitional phase, they would like to start seeing consistency from the likes of Abhishek and Samson.

In the bowling department, Axar Patel is likely to be the spinning all-rounder at number seven, offering batting depth and control, but will be wary of being separated as he was in Barbados by Klaasen. India are likely to have an all-rounder of their own on debut – will it be the batting-first Ramandeep Singh, who also provides a dynamic presence in the field, or the more typical number eight in Vijaykumar Vyshak? Vyshak’s offers a bit more with the ball, which might get him the nod initially, but expect both players as well as Yash Dayal to make their debuts on this tour.

Finally, Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan are two players expected to start for India and their death bowling will be under scrutiny against South Africa’s powerful batting.

Regardless of the combinations, power-hitting and plenty of highlights will be on offer when these two teams pit their titans against each other in the first game of what promises to be a hotly contested series in South Africa.

Highlights of India vs South Africa 1st T20I:

– India scored 202/8 in 20 overs

– Sanju Samson scored a second consecutive T20I century in 47 balls

– Sanju Samson drove to a half-century in 27 balls

– Aiden Markram won the toss and South Africa bowl first

– India and South Africa meet for the first time since the World Cup final in T20

– South Africa have lost 0-3 to the West Indies and drawn 1-1 with Ireland

– India have gone on a 10-match winning streak in T20Is after a shock loss to Zimbabwe just after the T20 World Cup final