India's record-breaking blitz leaves Bangladesh facing a mammoth target

If someone watched the innings without keeping track of the live broadcast, they might assume they were watching highlights. Batting highlights, whether during or after the match, tend to focus solely on boundaries and sixes.

India's innings was a perfect example of this. With 25 fours and 22 sixes, the hosts scored less than ten runs in only two overs out of their 20. The chief architects of this destructive batting display were centurion Sanju Samson, captain Suryakumar Yadav, and later, Riyan Parag and Hardik Pandya, who joined in the carnage.

Their blistering knocks led India to a string of records. In the third and final T20I of the series at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Saturday, India posted a staggering total of 297 for 6 wickets in 20 overs. This is India's highest team total in T20 internationals, surpassing their previous best of 260 against Sri Lanka.

It is also the highest total by any team against Bangladesh, overtaking South Africa's 229. Bangladesh's highest successful chase in T20s is 214, meaning they faced an enormous challenge.

India got off to a dominant start after winning the toss and electing to bat. They collected 7 runs off Sheikh Mahedi Hasan's first over, followed by a flurry of boundaries in the next. Sanju Samson struck four consecutive fours off Taskin Ahmed, who had bowled impressively in the previous match. Despite India losing debutant Abhishek Sharma in the third over to Tanzim Hasan Sakib, who was caught by Mahedi attempting a pull shot, they didn't lose momentum.

Samson continued his aggressive approach, joined by India's captain, Suryakumar Yadav, known for his 'murderous' intent in this format. The duo quickly established a threatening partnership, and India's run rate soared. By the end of the powerplay, they had amassed 82 runs for 1 wicket.

India's total crossed 100 in just 7.1 overs. Bangladeshi bowlers struggled to contain the storm. Taskin, who conceded 16 runs in his first over, gave away the same amount in his second. Tanzim, who had earlier taken a wicket, leaked 19 runs in his next over. Leg-spinner Rishad Hossain's introduction did little to stem the flow, as his first over cost 16 runs.

Even at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, where Mustafizur Rahman once shone as a star for Sunrisers Hyderabad, the Bangladeshi left-arm pacer couldn't make an impact. His first two overs went for 26 runs, reflecting how brutally Samson and Suryakumar were dominating the game. Samson raced to his half-century in just 22 balls, the fastest by an Indian against Bangladesh in T20s.

Suryakumar was equally aggressive, reaching his 21st career half-century in 23 balls. Before that, Samson had unleashed a barrage of sixes, hitting five consecutive maximums off leg-spinner Rishad in the 10th over. By the halfway mark, India had reached 152 for 1, and Samson was on the brink of his maiden T20I century.

He brought up his hundred with a four off Mahedi in the 13th over, reaching the milestone in just 40 balls. It was the second-fastest T20I century by an Indian, and the tenth-fastest in the format's history. The fastest Indian century belongs to Rohit Sharma, who scored a ton off 35 balls against Sri Lanka in Indore in 2017.

Samson's innings came to an end shortly after his century. In the 14th over, he was caught at deep square leg off Mustafizur for a career-best 111 off 47 balls, an innings studded with 11 fours and 8 sixes. Samson and Suryakumar had shared a blistering 173-run stand off just 70 balls for the second wicket, the second-highest partnership for India in T20Is for that wicket, and the third-highest in any T20I partnership.

Suryakumar followed soon after, departing in the next over for a rapid 75 off 35 balls, which included 8 fours and 5 sixes. Despite their departures, India's batting onslaught didn't cease. Riyan Parag and Hardik Pandya continued the mayhem, ensuring that Bangladesh's bowlers found no respite.