Ramandeep Singh plays a shot during the third T20I between South Africa and India at Centurion. (AP)
Ramandeep Singh made history on his international debut, becoming only the second Indian batter to hit a six on the first ball of a T20 International career. Demonstrating his power-hitting skills from the outset, he joined an exclusive club.
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India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav was the first Indian to hit a six on his debut delivery, achieving this feat against England in Ahmedabad in 2021.
The right-handed batter, Ramandeep, who received his India cap from Hardik Pandya, wasted no time in making an impact. Opening his account with a maximum, he sent a clear message of his aggressive intent.
Andile Simelane attempted a yorker but missed his mark. Ramandeep was prepared, getting under the ball to launch it over long-on for six.
Coming in at number seven with just two overs left, Ramandeep lived up to his reputation as a hard-hitting batsman. He scored 15 runs off six balls, maintaining an impressive strike rate of 250 before being run out by Heinrich Klaasen.
Tilak Varma’s maiden unbeaten century propelled India to a formidable total of 219 for six against South Africa in the third T20I, levelling the four-match series at 1-1.
Abhishek Sharma contributed significantly with a rapid 50 off 25 balls, featuring three fours and five sixes, setting the stage for Varma’s heroics.
Tilak Varma’s century came off just 51 balls, showcasing his aggressive stroke play and ability to accelerate the scoring rate.
Together, Varma and Sharma added 107 runs for the second wicket in a mere 8.2 overs, forming the backbone of India’s innings after the early dismissal of Sanju Samson.
Brief scores: India: 219/6 in 20 overs (Tilak Varma 107 not out, Abhishek Sharma 50; Keshav Maharaj 2/36, Andile Simelane 2/34) vs South Africa.
English (US) ·