Suryakumar Yadav reaffirms status as World No.1 T20 batter with an unbeaten 25-ball 61 as India crush Zimbabwe by 71 runs to set up semi-final date with England; opener KL Rahul scores 51
India’s Suryakumar Yadav plays one behind the stumps during his 61 not out v Zimbabwe at Melbourne on Sunday. Pics/PTI
It’s as if there’s nothing Suryakumar Yadav can’t do. However delicate the situation, tricky the conditions or demanding the bowling might be, he has all the answers.
On Sunday night, with India losing their way slightly after a second successive half-century by KL Rahul, Suryakumar seemed to have his task cut out. In a manner that has become second nature to him, he tore into Zimbabwe, producing one of the innings of this T20 World Cup to muscle India into the semi-finals with a comprehensive 71-run victory.
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More than 82,000 fans, most of them clearly pro-India, crammed the MCG for what was expected to be, and devolved into, one-way traffic and they had their money’s worth as Rahul and Suryakumar flexed their muscles to propel India to 186 for five after Rohit Sharma opted to bat. Zimbabwe, who lost Wessly Madhevere to the first ball of their chase and were left gasping at 36 for five, were shot out for 115 with India’s pacers doing the bulk of the damage, though it was R Ashwin who emerged the most successful, with three for 22.
Semi-final spot was assured
India came into their final league game assured of a last-four berth after South Africa’s shock loss to Netherlands earlier in the day. Victory against Zimbabwe would help India top the Super 12 Group 2 standings and earn a shot at England in the second semi-final in Adelaide on Thursday, and they achieved that objective without a fuss.
Also read: Suryakumar Yadav is World No.1 T20I batter
The brief wobble when they lost three for 14 in 11 deliveries after a 60-run second-wicket stand between Rahul and Virat Kohli appeared a distant memory when Suryakumar cut loose like only he can. Walking across his stumps to essay cheeky scoops or making room to drive powerfully over the offside, he toyed with Zimbabwe’s bowlers, of whom spinners Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams stood out with their control and variety.
Mini collapse in the middle
India had left themselves with plenty to do after the mid-innings mini-collapse, reaching 107 for four after 15 overs. Suryakumar came to their aid, smashing 56 runs in his last 19 deliveries and accounting for the bulk of the 79 runs in the last five overs. The return of the Zimbabwe quicks—Richard Ngarava, Tendai Chatara and Blessing Muzarabani—opened the floodgates as runs flowed in torrents towards the end.
Hardik Pandya was a becalmed spectator as Suryakumar moved this way and that to send the ball screaming to whichever part of the ground caught his fancy. Pandya’s contribution to the fifth-wicket stand of 65 was a sedate 18 off 18, but with Suryakumar scoring as quickly as he did, he could afford to hang back and relish the entertainment.
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