Mohammad Kaif considers Suryakumar Yadav as Indian team’s best bet heading towards the T20 World Cup post innings versus Hong Kong.
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During the second match of ‘Group A’ in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 between India and Hong Kong at the Dubai International Stadium, a Suryakumar Yadav whirlwind left the Hong Kong bowlers stunned and gasping for breath, as he unleashed upon them a punishment of the worst sort.
Arriving at the crease during the 13th Over with India’s scorecard reading 94/2, the 31-year-old swept, ramped, and drove across all parts of the ground, to smash six Fours and as many Sixes to finish the innings on an unbeaten 68* off mere 26 deliveries, at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 261.54
With India skipper Rohit Sharma (21 off 13) getting dismissed within the Powerplay, the pair of KL Rahul (36 off 39) and Virat Kohli (59* off 44) added 56 runs for the second wicket, but took as many as 49 deliveries during the process.
Rahul, in particular was criticised left, right, and centre by fans and experts for coming up with an innings which simply lacked the required intent in a T20 game.
Just when the fans and experts were convinced that the pitch was playing on the slower side, Yadav arrived at the crease, and smashed a couple of boundaries off the first two balls itself, to set the tone for the rest of the innings.
He stitched an unbeaten third wicket stand alongside Kohli worth 98-runs off mere 42 deliveries, with 78 of those runs coming off the final five Overs, to power India to 192/2 in their 20 Overs.
Mohammad Kaif considers Suryakumar Yadav as India’s best foot forward for T20 World Cup in Australia
A rejoiced former India batter Mohammad Kaif, upon witnessing Yadav demolish the Honk Kong bowling attack, took to his social media handle, to state with a sense of conviction that the 31-year-old is India’s ‘main man’ in the team India squad for the imminent T20 World Cup in Australia.
Having made his debut only in March last year, Yadav has already smashed five fifties and a memorable century against England recently, across the 22 innings in the format. It is his strike rate of 172.06, that has made it nearly impossible for the selectors to look at anyone else as his possible replacement in the T20 team since his debut.
