India secured a massive 135-run victory over South Africa in the fourth T20I in Johannesburg. This win sealed the series 3-1. Captain Suryakumar Yadav praised the team’s focus and execution.
Good Habits Led the Way
Suryakumar said the team was not worried about the result. Instead, they focused on maintaining their good habits. The series was already in India’s favor at 2-1, but they wanted to finish strong.
“There’s no secret to adapting to the conditions and situations. Our plans were very clear as soon as we landed in Durban. Last time when we came here, we played the same brand of cricket and wanted to continue that. Though we were up 2-1 in the series, today we wanted to follow the good habits and not worry about the result,” Suryakumar explained.
Stellar Batting Performance
The skipper applauded Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and Tilak Varma for their brilliant batting. They executed the team’s plan perfectly.
“It’s very difficult for me to choose one good knock from them, it was amazing batting skills displayed by them. We spoke about that and they literally walked the talk. When we toured last year, we knew there was something in this wicket once the lights were on and the temperature dropped,” he added.
India Sets a Huge Target
After winning the toss, Suryakumar chose to bat first. The decision paid off. Openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma built a solid 73-run partnership. Abhishek smashed 2 fours and 4 sixes before Lutho Sipamla dismissed him in the sixth over.
Then, Samson and Tilak Varma took control. Samson reached his century in just 51 balls. Shortly after, Tilak scored his second T20I hundred. Together, they added a record-breaking 210-run partnership.
India finished at a staggering 283/1. Samson scored 109 off 51 balls. Tilak stayed unbeaten with 120 off 47 deliveries. The South African bowlers struggled, with Sipamla taking the only wicket but conceding heavily.
South Africa Falls Apart
South Africa’s chase started poorly. While Tristan Stubbs (43 off 29 balls) and David Miller (36 off 27 balls) tried to fight back, the rest of the batting lineup crumbled.
Indian bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Varun Chakaravarthy bowled exceptionally well. They restricted South Africa to 148 with one over to spare.
Match Summary
- India: 283/1 (20 Overs) Tilak Verma – 120*(47), Sanju Samson – 109*(56), Macro Jansen 1/42(4)
- South Africa: 283/1 (20 Overs) Tristan Stubbs – 43(29), David Miller – 36(27), Arshdeep Singh – 3/20(3)
India’s powerful performance in Johannesburg highlighted their dominance. The team’s discipline and execution secured the series in style.