A pillaging maiden T20 International hundred by Sanju Samson turbo-charged India to a record-breaking 297 for 6, their highest total in the format, against Bangladesh in the third and final match here on Saturday.
This was also the second highest total in the history of T20Is, going past Afghanistan’s 278/3 against Ireland in Dehradun in 2019.
India’s previous highest T20I total was 260/5 made against Sri Lanka in 2017 in Indore.
The hosts have already taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series after wins in Gwalior and New Delhi but the academic nature of the match did not hinder the belligerence of Indians.
It was channelised by Samson (111, 47 balls, 11×4, 8×6), who hammered the second fastest T20I century by an Indian after Rohit Sharma (35 balls), and Suryakumar (75, 35 balls, 8×4, 5×6), biffing 173 runs during an electrifying second wicket stand.
After electing to bat, India lost opener Abhishek Sharma (4) early in the innings, falling to a poorly-timed pull off Tanzim Hasan, but what followed was pure mayhem.
It is quite tough to put to shade an innings of Suryakumar in T20Is but Samson did that with a knock of rare brilliance.
Perhaps, stung by the modest outings in the first two matches of this series, Samson strode out with purpose.
The changed attitude found an immediate on-field expression as the right-hander pummelled pacer Taskin Ahmed for four consecutive fours — two cover drives and as many flicks — in the second over of the innings.
It was the perfect teaser for the blockbuster action that unfolded in the next 10.3 overs.
No bowler was spared during the batting extravaganza that was based on the single-minded and simple philosophy of naked aggression.
It was so glaring in the 10th over when leg-spinner Rishad Hossain came to bowl. Hossain erred in line and length and Samson creamed him for five consecutive sixes.
But the most stunning shot in Samson’s innings was a six off the backfoot off pacer Mustafizur Rahman. The Kerala man, waiting deep inside the crease, judged the slower ball to perfection, and whacked it over extra cover for a maximum, eliciting a quick shake of head from the bowler.
Soon, he brought up his hundred off 40 balls with a boundary off off-spinner Mahedi Hasan and celebrated with a roar and punch before getting melted into a tight embrace by his captain.
Suryakumar too had his own moment when he smashed Tanzim for three fours and a six while reaching his fifty in 23 balls.
But both the batters fell in rather quick succession. Samson was jettisoned by Mustafizur’s well-directed bouncer and Suryakumar became Mahmudullah’s last T20I victim, giving a simple catch to Rishad in deep.
But by then India had reached 206 for three in the 15th over.
That itself is a daunting total but Hardik Pandya (47, 18 balls, 4×4, 4×6) and Riyan Parag (34, 13 balls, 1×4, 4×6) flogged the dead horse to milk a further 70 runs for the fourth wicket as India reached a massive total.