India sweeps series against Bangladesh with 2nd highest T20I score powered by Samson's ton

HYDERABAD, India (AP) — Sanju Samson smacked his first Twenty20 century off 40 balls as India beat Bangladesh in the third and final match by 133 runs to sweep the series 3-0 on Saturday.

Samson was out for 111 off 47 balls, including eight sixes and 11 fours.

He had help in Hyderabad from skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who hit a 35-ball 75. Hardik Pandya smacked 47 off only 18 as India finished at 297-6, the second highest total in T20 internationals and exceeded only by Nepal’s 314-3 against Mongolia in the 2023 Asia Cup.

India hit the most runs in boundaries in a T20I game. That included 22 sixes, its highest total in a T20 game, and 25 fours.

In reply, Bangladesh was restricted to 164-7. Towhid Hridoy was 63 not out off 42 deliveries, and Litton Das hit a 25-ball 42. Wrist spinner Ravi Bishnoi took 3-30 in four overs.

Opting to bat first, India lost opener Abhishek Sharma (4) early once again. It didn’t deter Samson though, who got going for once.

Samson raced to 50 off 22 balls, hitting two sixes and eight fours. His next 50 came off 18 deliveries – including another six sixes and three fours – in the second quickest T20 hundred by an India batter after Rohit Sharma's 35-ball ton against Sri Lanka in 2017.

Samson put on 173 runs in 11 1/2 overs for the second wicket with Yadav. It was India’s third highest partnership for any wicket in T20s.

“The team management has backed me. I could have done much better (in previous matches), and it can get frustrating," Samson said. "When you are playing for the country, it comes with a lot of pressure. But with experience, I learnt how to deal with pressure.”

The Tigers’ brief respite came from a floodlight failure in the ninth over, but it wasn’t enough. On resumption, player-of-the-match Samson smacked five sixes – 30 runs – off the next over bowled by wrist spinner Rishad Hossain.

Samson was finally caught in the 14th over, while Yadav had reached 50 off 23 balls. Overall, the India captain hit eight fours and five sixes, before falling in the next over.

India was then at 206-3 in 14.3 overs and it accelerated further thanks to a rapid 70-stand between Riyan Parag and Pandya.

Parag scored 34 off 13 but it was in-form Pandya who stole the show hitting four sixes and four fours.

In reply, Bangladesh was down to 59-3 in 5.2 overs. The top three didn’t contribute much, while Das propelled the innings. He hit eight fours.

Bishnoi became the second quickest Indian bowler to 50 T20I wickets, when Najmul Hossain Shanto (14) was caught behind. He also had Das out caught in the 12th over.

Das and Hridoy added 53 off 38 balls for the fourth wicket.

India had already sealed the series win with an 86-run victory in the second T20 on Wednesday. India won the first T20 in Gwalior by seven wickets.

India swept the two-match test series against Bangladesh 2-0.

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Indian players celebrate with the trophy after winning the T20 cricket series against Bangladesh in Hyderabad, India, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Bangladesh's Tawhid Hridoy plays a shot during the third and final T20 cricket match between Bangladesh and India in Hyderabad, India, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Indian players celebrate with the trophy after winning the T20 cricket series against Bangladesh in Hyderabad, India, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav holds the trophy after winning the T20 cricket series against Bangladesh in Hyderabad, India, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Indian players celebrate with the trophy after winning the T20 cricket series against Bangladesh in Hyderabad, India, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

India's Sanju Samson, right, gesture with captain Suryakumar Yadav while walks back to the pavilion after losing his wicket to Bangladesh's Mustafizur Rahman during the third and final T20 cricket match between Bangladesh and India in Hyderabad, India, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

India's Hardik Pandya plays a shot during the third and final T20 cricket match between Bangladesh and India in Hyderabad, India, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

India's Rinku Singh plays a shot during the third and final T20 cricket match between Bangladesh and India in Hyderabad, India, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Bangladesh's Mohammad Mahmudullah bowls during the third and final T20 cricket match between Bangladesh and India in Hyderabad, India, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

India's Washington Sunder, right, celebrates with captain Suryakumar Yadav the wicket of Bangladesh's Tanzid Hasan Tamim during the third and final T20 cricket match between Bangladesh and India in Hyderabad, India, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

Bangladesh's captain Najmul Hossain Shanto walks back pavilion after losing his wicket to India's Ravi Bishnoi during the third and final T20 cricket match between Bangladesh and India in Hyderabad, India, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

India's Ravi Bishnoi celebrates the wicket of Bangladesh's captain Najmul Hossain Shanto during the third and final T20 cricket match between Bangladesh and India in Hyderabad, India, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

India's Sanju Samson acknowledges the crowd while walks back to the pavilion after losing his wicket to Bangladesh's Mustafizur Rahman during the third and final T20 cricket match between Bangladesh and India in Hyderabad, India, Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.)

A Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and wounded three others in the Russian city of Voronezh, local officials said Sunday.

A young woman died overnight in a hospital intensive care unit after debris from a drone fell on a house during the attack on Saturday, regional Gov. Alexander Gusev said on Telegram.

Three other people were wounded and more than 10 apartment buildings, private houses and a high school were damaged, he said, adding that air defenses shot down 17 drones over Voronezh. The city is home to just over 1 million people and lies some 250 kilometers (155 miles) from the Ukrainian border.

The attack came the day after Russia bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight into Friday, killing at least four people in the capital Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials.

For only the second time in the nearly four-year war, Russia used a powerful new hypersonic missile that struck western Ukraine in a clear warning to Kyiv and NATO.

The intense barrage and the launch of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile followed reports of major progress in talks between Ukraine and its allies on how to defend the country from further aggression by Moscow if a U.S.-led peace deal is struck.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday in his nightly address that Ukrainian negotiators “continue to communicate with the American side.”

Chief negotiator Rustem Umerov was in contact with U.S. partners Saturday, he said.

Separately, Ukraine’s General Staff said Russia targeted Ukraine with 154 drones overnight into Sunday and 125 were shot down.

Follow the AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

This photo provided by the Ukrainian Security Service on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, shows a fragment believed to be a part of a Russian Oreshnik intermediate range hypersonic ballistic missile that hit the Lviv region. (Ukrainian Security Service via AP)

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, second left, listens to British Defense Secretary John Healey during their meeting in Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Danylo Antoniuk)