Such was Suryakumar’s batting that even Pakistan cricket legends were in awe and wondered what would be the best way to get him out in a T20 match given in form and 360-degree ability.
Suryakumar Yadav on Sunday left all of world cricket speechless and flabbergasted with this incredible batting against Zimbabwe at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. He smashed an unbeaten 25-ball 61 to help India win their final T20 World Cup group game by 71 runs and end as the table toppers in their run to the semi-finals. Such was his batting that even Pakistan cricket legends were in awe and wondered what would be the best way to get him out in a T20 match given his form and 360-degree ability.
One of the most incredible shots from Suryakumar’s knock at the MCG was the scoop shot over fine-leg fence against a full toss delivery that was down the sixth-stump line. It was among the four maximums he clobbered in his match-winning knock, alongside six boundaries.
As the replay of that shot was shown on A Sports, former Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram hailed the star India batter saying that he’s “from a different planet”.
“I think he’s come from a different planet. He is totally different from anybody else. The amount of runs he has scored…he’s just a treat to watch and not just against Zimbabwe, against the top bowling attacks in the world,” Akram said.
Waqar Younis, who was also part of the panel, made an epic statement while Akram was making his opinion. “Bowler jaaye toh jaaye kahan?” he questioned.
The legendary pacer then added that for a bowler it is very difficult to plan against such a batter, although he did hail Pakistan’s strategy against Suryakumar during their Melbourne tie at the start of the T20 World Cup.
“What’s the best way to get him out in T20s? I mean in ODIs and Tests you can plan and get him out. But in T20, anyway the bowler is on backfoot and when someone is in this sort of form it is very difficult to bowl at him. I think Pakistan did well against him in the previous game, they bombarded him with short deliveries. May be that’s the only way to go,” he said.