It was Samson, who having followed his century in Durban with ducks in Gqeberha and Centurion, put the spectator in the infirmary, with one of his nine sixes during his 109 not out. But even his strike rate of 194.64, looked pedestrian next to Varma, whose overall strike rate for his innings was 255.31.
In fact, in going from 50 to his final total of 120 not out, Varma faced just 25 balls. Having given him the No.3 spot before the Centurion match — where he also made a hundred — India’s selectors dare not remove him from that position now.
It was obscene from the Indian duo who registered just the third occasion that two batters have scored 100s in the same T20 innings at international level.
It didn’t matter what the South Africans bowled, it was met with a flashing Indian blade, and ended up with the tourists smashing 23 sixes, the highest in an innings between two Full Member nations of the ICC.
As if the battering with the bat wasn’t bad enough, Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya, then demolished the Proteas with the new ball. By the time the power play was finished, four batters were back in the hut, with just 30 runs on the board. Arshdeep was responsible for three wickets.
When all was said and mercifully done, there was another record. The margin of 135 runs, was South Africa’s largest defeat in a T20 International.