When on song, there are few better strokeplayers than Sanju Samson in world cricket. He can appear unstoppable, making quality opposition bowlers look clueless. Samson was in that sort of mood in the series opener between India and South Africa at the Kingsmeed in Durban on Friday. Samson smashed 107 off just 50 balls to gatecrash South Africa's T20 World Cup final revenge plans. His innings was the deciding factor in the match that India won by 61 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series. After the match, South Africa captain Aiden Markram took his hat off to Sanju Samson.

"Sanju played incredibly well, put our bowlers under pressure, plans to negate him and better plans will help us going forward. Once he is striking like that, it's pretty hard to stop, and you take your hat off to him," Markram said in the post-match presentation.

Samson hit seven fours and as many as 10 sixes on his way to hit the fastest T20I century (off 47 balls) by an Indian against South Africa. He also became the first Indian batter and the fourth overall to hit back-to-back T20I centuries.

So effortless yet destructive was Samson that one point, India were poised to post a total over 220 but after his dismissal in the 16th over, South Africa made a brief comeback, restricting the visitors to 202/8. It was, however, too much for them to chase down. India bowled them out for 141 in 17.5 overs.

Markram rues poor start

South Africa had won the toss and decided to put India to bat, a decision which they bitterly regretted right till the end.

Even though the ball reacted quite similarly in both innings, Markram admitted that their failure to get a brisk start was the moment when they lost the game.

South Africa lost three wickets in the powerplay, which restricted David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen from straightaway opening their arms.

"Not so much about the toss. Both new balls did a bit with the extra bounce. It was consistent in the two innings. Once the newish ball wore out, it played well. We wanted to get off to a better start, and that is where we lost the game," Markram noted.

Another positive South Africa took away from the game was hidden in the way Gerald Coetzee and Marco Jansen delivered in the death overs.

South Africa conceded just 40 runs in the last six overs, a remarkable effort, which came down to the efforts of the duo.

"We had a couple of meetings today with who were bowling the death overs, incredibly proud with the two (Coetzee and Jansen) and a really big positive for us tonight," Markram remarked.

After sealing a 61-run victory, India will head to Gqeberha for the second T20I against the Proteas on Sunday.

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