Sanju Samson delivered an explosive start for India in the fourth T20I against West Indies at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Wednesday
(October 14).
Chasing a formidable target of 248, the Indian wicketkeeper-batter launched an aggressive counterattack to keep the hosts firmly in contention.
Samson reached his half-century in just 20 balls, showcasing his exceptional power-hitting ability against a West Indies attack that had struggled to contain India's batting in the series. His aggressive approach provided India with the perfect platform for the daunting chase, with the hosts looking to secure the series with a victory.
The Kerala batter's innings was particularly significant because of the milestone attached to his six-hitting prowess. His tally of sixes in T20 Internationals has reached 102, underlining his growing importance in India's explosive top order. He hit 4 sixes in his innings of 56 off just 23 balls, and also managed 6 boundaries.
Sanju Samson Becomes Sixth Indian With 100 T20I Sixes
Samson has become the sixth Indian batter to cross the 100-six mark in men's T20 internationals, joining an elite group of power-hitters. His achievement highlights his evolution into an increasingly dangerous batter in the shortest format.
Rohit Sharma remains India's leading six-hitter in T20Is, having smashed 205 sixes during his international career. Suryakumar Yadav follows with 179, while Abhishek Sharma has already accumulated 141. Hardik Pandya and Virat Kohli have struck 126 and 124 sixes respectively, placing Samson's milestone in impressive company.
Rohit's record reflects his extraordinary longevity and consistency, while the presence of Samson and Abhishek among India's leading six-hitters demonstrates the team's changing batting profile.
West Indies Set India a Massive Target
Earlier, West Indies posted 247/3 in their 20 overs after being asked to bat first. Captain Shai Hope led the charge with an unbeaten 102, while Shimron Hetmyer and the middle order helped maintain the visitors' extraordinary scoring rate.
Hope's century gave West Indies a formidable total and put India's bowlers under sustained pressure. The visitors exploited the batting-friendly conditions to threaten a total beyond 250.
India began the chase aggressively, reaching 55 without losing a wicket as Samson brought up his rapid half-century. At the time of publishing, India are 84/2 after seven overs, with Abhishek Sharma and Shreyas Iyer at the crease.
