“I’m surprised I’m getting the award”: KL Rahul believes Suryakumar Yadav deserved India South Africa Man of the Match for creating bigger impact in 2nd T20I

Gurpreet Singh | 03/10/2022
"I'm surprised I'm getting the award": KL Rahul believes Suryakumar Yadav deserved India South Africa Man of the Match for creating bigger impact in 2nd T20I

KL Rahul believes Suryakumar Yadav richly deserved the ‘Player of the match’ award after receiving the same post India’s win in 2nd T20I.

Despite stitching the highest-ever partnership against India, and also the highest fourth wicket partnership in T20I history, South Africa have fallen short by 16 runs of the target during the second T20I in Guwahati, in what could have been one of their most memorable victories in the format.

A high-scoring thriller of the highest order, wherein both the teams collectively managed to smash over 450 runs across 40 Overs, saw the Indian team managing to lift a home T20I series for the first time against the Proteas, with an unassailable 2-0 lead, in the three-match series.

The highlight of the attempted 238-run chase by the South Africans was the unbeaten 174-run partnership in mere 82 deliveries between Quinton de Kock (69* off 48) and David Miller (106* off 47), which almost took the game away from India’s grasp. The brutal onslaught, particularly by Miller who tonked 8 Fours and 7 Sixes, helped the Proteas post 221/3 after 20 Overs.

KL Rahul believes Suryakumar Yadav deserved the ‘Player of the match’ award

Earlier, quick fire fifties off the bat of KL Rahul (57 off 28), and Suryakumar Yadav (61 off 22), and valuable contributions from Rohit Sharma (43 off 37) and Virat Kohli (49* off 28), helped team India post a mammoth 237/3 in their 20 Overs.

Rahul, despite striking at 203.57, as against Suryakumar’s 277.27, was awarded the ‘Player of the match’ at Guwahati.

The Karnataka batter, while receiving the award, exclaimed that it was Yadav who deserved to receive the award, as he had made a much bigger impact to get India to the total they ultimately got to.

“After the first 2-3 overs today, the chat between Rohit and I was that 180-190 would be a good target. I’m surprised I’m getting the award but Surya made the bigger impact,” exclaimed Rahul.

Team India will play the last T20I of the series on October 4 (Tuesday) in Indore.

Post Edited By: Gurpreet Singh
KL Rahul South Africa tour of India 2022 Suryakumar Yadav

About the author

Gurpreet Singh

Gurpreet Singh is a Cricket writer at The Sportsrush. His platonic relationship with sports had always been there since childhood, but Cricket managed to strike a special, intimate nerve of his heart. Although his initial dream of playing the sport at the highest level couldn't come to fruition, Gurpreet did represent the state of Jharkhand at the under-14 level. However, almost like taking a pledge to never let the undying passion for Cricket fade away even a tad, he made sure to continue the love relationship by assigning the field of journalism as an indirect Cupid. He thus, first finished his bachelor's in journalism and then pursued the PG Diploma course in English journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC). Soon after and since 2019, he has been working at The Sportsrush. Apart from sports, he takes keen interest in politics, and in understanding women and gender-related issues.

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