Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma's breathtaking six-hitting spree brought joy to one and all except a young lady who was left inconsolable. Samson hit as many as nine sixes in the fourth T20I against South Africa on Friday but his fourth one hit a spectator at the Wanderers in Johannesburg. The incident happened in the second ball of the 10th over of India's innings when Tristian Stubbs tossed one up in Samson's arc despite conceding a six in the previous ball of the over. Samson, who was not quite happy with the connection in the previous ball even though it went for a six, cleared his front leg and slog-swept it. It resulted in a flat six but unfortunately, it bounced off the stadium raiing and hit flush on the face of a young girl who was standing a few metres away from the ropes.

The impact of the blow was hard and the cameras captured her tears even as a fellow spectator was holding an ice pack on her cheek. Samson, for his part, had his hand up immediately to apologise to the lady after realising that his shot had hit her.

Samson and Tilak's blistering display propelled India to a mammoth 283/1. This was by far India's highest T20I total overseas and the highest by any country on South African soil. Among the plethora of records that tumbled, the most special one will be two Indian batters scoring centuries in the same T20I innings. Samson and Varma also posted the highest partnership for India in T20 Internationals --- 210 off just 93 balls for the second wicket.

After the Samson and Tilak show, Arshdeep Singh ran through South Africa's top order with the new ball, picking up three wickets in three overs at the top. South Africa could never really recover from the early jolts and folded for 148 in 18.2 overs as India won the match a huge margin of 135 runs to take the series 3-1.

The Samson and Tilak show

Samson (109 not out off 56 balls), who smashed a superb century in the first game, once again pummelled the Proteas in company of Varma (120 not out off 47 balls) who has really come into his own with new found confidence and vigour at number three.

Samson now has three T20I tons in the last five knocks which also included two ducks while Varma has scored back-to-back T20I tons. Samson completed his ton in 51 balls while Varma's (41 balls) took 10 balls less.

Abhishek Sharma (36 off 18 balls) should also get his share of credit for upping the ante in the Powerplay with four huge sixes.

On a good batting track with true bounce on offer, Indian batters hit a record 23 sixes as it was possible to hit through the line by just clearing one's front leg. Samson's nine maximums was one less than Varma's 10.

It only helped India that the opposition's best fast bowler Gerald Coetzee seemed to be carrying a niggle. The two medium pacers Andile Simelane (0/47 in 3 overs) and Lutho Sipamla (1/58 in 4 overs) seemed like lambs for slaughter. The Indians hit 10 sixes from Simelane and Sipamla.By the time Coetzee was brought by skipper Aiden Markram for his second spell, the damage was done. Such was the nervousness of South African bowlers that they bowled 17 wides in trying to check the momentum.

They didn't vary the pace and pitched it on length as Samson and Varma were severe, either hitting them inside out over extra cover or at times straight down the ground.Even Keshav Maharaj and Tristan Stubbs were not left unpunished as there was everything on the platter -- cuts, pulls, slog sweeps, reverse sweeps. There wasn't a single corner of the ground that didn't feel the power of strokes from the two Indians.In fact one of Samson's shots hit a lady spectator's cheek. The TV cameras caught her sobbing in considerable pain. Samson was more muscle as he would slightly shuffle towards leg-stump and loft the length balls while the silken Varma would make a mockery of spinners with uppish sweep shots, stand and deliver down the ground hits.

They slowed down a touch nearing their milestones but by then they had done enough to deflate the Proteas.

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