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On this day, December 21, India’s Sanju Samson smashed his maiden international hundred during the third ODI against South Africa at Boland Park in Paarl. Samson reached the three-figure mark off 110 balls in the 44th over of India’s innings. His previous best in the format was an unbeaten 86 against South Africa in Lucknow. Samson was eventually dismissed for 108 off 114 balls off the bowling of Lizaad Williams. Since making his ODI debut in 2021, Samson had only played 16 matches in the format and he managed to score his first ODI century.
It was an innings of immense class as he reached his fifty off 66 balls and then started to tee off making it a big score. Samson made his debut in 2015 and took more than eight years to bring up his maiden international hundred and the timing couldn’t have been more opportune as it unfolded during the series decider. He got to the landmark when he pushed Maharaj to long-off for a single as the dressing room went on its feet to applaud a fine dig.
Samson had a 116-run partnership with Tilak Varma fo fourth wicket gave India a good platform to post a competitive total. Tilak scored his maiden ODI half-century after getting off to a slow start. Though Tilak and Samson perished in quick succession, Rinku Singh’s carnage in the death overs ensured India scored 286.
Expressing joy over his maiden ODI century, Samson mentioned that it feels emotional to see the results align with his hard work. “I feel really emotional, going through the emotions now. I am very happy to achieve this. I have been putting in a lot of work, both physically and mentally, and I am happy to see the results go my way now,” he said after that knock.
India scored 286 runs batting first on the back of Samson century and in reply, South Africa were bowled out for 218. Samson won the player of the match. Since then he has got a couple more hundreds against South Africa in T20Is but has not got any ODI century post this knock.
