T20 cricket thrives on audacious strokeplay, but centuries remain the holy grail. Against South Africa, in 35 blistering encounters, only Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma have conquered it—each with a pair of tons, cementing India’s batting supremacy.
The stage is Ahmedabad for T20 World Cup 2026’s Super 8 on Sunday, where this record looms large. Samson’s journey began in the 2024 South Africa series, spanning five T20Is.
November 8 in Durban: 107 runs off 50 balls as opener, with 10 sixes and 7 fours, fueling a 61-run Indian win.
November 15, Johannesburg: An unbeaten 109 (56 balls, 9 sixes, 6 fours), translating to a 135-run demolition.
Tilak Varma, in 10 T20Is, struck gold twice back-to-back that November. First, 107 not out (56 balls, 7 sixes, 8 fours) on the 13th, edging a 11-run victory.
Then, the pinnacle: 120 not out (47 balls, 10 sixes, 9 fours) on the 15th, another 135-run masterstroke.
India’s 21 wins to South Africa’s 13 (one tie) reflect this dominance. Samson and Varma’s exploits aren’t flukes; they’re blueprints of fearless cricket. South Africa enters the fray as underdogs, desperate to shatter this Indian monopoly. Expect a battle of wills and willow.