The Indian cricket team gave a perfect end to the 3-match T20I series against Sri Lanka by winning it by 2-1. Yesterday Hardik Pandya-led Indian squad defeated Dasun Shanaka-led Sri Lankan team in the third T20I match by a huge margin of 91 runs.
The match was played at Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Rajkot, and the hero of this match was Suryakumar Yadav who played a blistering knock of 112 runs not out and helped his team in making a big score of 228/5. Hardik Pandya won the toss and chose to bat first; India lost its opener Ishan Kishan (1 run) quite early but Shubman Gill (46 runs, 36 balls, 2 fours & 3 sixes) and Rahul Tripathi (35 runs, 16 balls, 5 fours & 2 sixes) played some good and aggressive cricket and stitched a 49 runs partnership for the second wicket. After the dismissal of Rahul Tripathi, Suryakumar Yadav came on the crease and tore apart the Sri Lankan bowling lineup.
SKY took 26 balls to reach his fifty and then he played 19 more balls to touch the three digit mark, in fact he ended the Indian innings with style by hitting a six and a four in the last over. SKY’s innings included 7 fours and 9 sixes and soon the micro-blogging site Twitter was flooded with reactions as fans went gaga over the Mumbai batter’s hitting skills.
Even Virat Kohli wasn’t able to stop himself from making a post admiring Suryakumar Yadav and a Twitter user shared what the former Indian skipper shared on his Instagram story:
Instagram story by Virat Kohli about Suryakumar Yadav. pic.twitter.com/eNFrcHjGeN
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) January 7, 2023
The famous commentator Harsha Bhogle made a very sweet tweet for SKY as he wrote, “Not many people have batted as well as this in their dreams. #SuryakumarYadav”.
Here is the tweet:
Not many people have batted as well as this in their dreams. #SuryakumarYadav
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 7, 2023
People also praised Rahul Tripathi for his small but useful and effective contribution and here are some selected reactions:
By far best fit in T20 style.. Cannot imagine anyone in world t20 is playing the way SKY in last one yr
— Abhik Chakravorty (@abhiksbp) January 7, 2023
Incredible part is whatever he thinks of executing, he is doing it perfectly! SL players were having a shot discussion every time he hit a six which shows where he stands at the moment in T20 cricket! Just great!
— Tejas Pujare (@TejasPujare7) January 7, 2023
https://twitter.com/uthalereydeva/status/1611733474574237699
SKY and Rahul Tripathi are what real Intent Merchants look like 🔥🔥🔥 , selfless , trying to score asuch as possible
.
.#INDvSL #SLvIND #SuryakumarYadav #RahulTripathi #Cricket pic.twitter.com/cUcowyyFsf— Utkarsh (@utkarshh_tweet) January 7, 2023
Suryakumar is simply being sensational, his aggressive approach to always taking the game forward is endearing more than his batting.
Not afraid to take chances and will put his body on the line to score runs.
Wonder if named T20 captain, the team could follow the same approach
— Gaurav Gupta | Realtor (@YourRealAsset) January 7, 2023
Tripathi and Surya will be deadly combo for India in T20i is it ???
— Aman Rajawat (@rajawataman77) January 7, 2023
Cant agree more,
And the areas, over cover and behind leg,
Arent scoring areas for many, which he scores heavily on,Definitely a T20 GREAT in making.
— Khushpal Singh Virdi (@KhushpalVirdi) January 7, 2023
He just applies his experience.! Undoubtedly he is a superstar in T20. Everything is going to be easy for him.
— Sajjad Rahman (@sajjadrahman56) January 8, 2023
Q.) Define Suryakumar Yadav’s strokes?
A.) 👇 pic.twitter.com/Qc0Tg6uX47— Sushant Mehta (@SushantNMehta) January 7, 2023
Surya is just Unreal and unstoppable in T-20I's.😬#SuryakumarYadav
— Nihar_45 (@NiharxHitman1) January 7, 2023
The reaction of Captain Hardik Pandya after a huge maximum by Suryakumar Yadav. pic.twitter.com/axe9CDvJW4
— Cricket is Love ❤ (@cricketfan__) January 7, 2023
The Indian bowlers also bowled pretty well as they restricted the whole Sri Lankan team at a score of 137 in 16.4 overs and ensured that team India won not only the third T20I but the series as well. Prior to that, the series was leveled as 1-1 as the first T20I was won by India and in the second T20I, the visitors made a good comeback to win it.
While Arshdeep Singh took the highest number of wickets (3), Yuzvendra Chahal, Umran Malik and Hardik Pandya took 2 wickets each and Axar Patel got 1 wicket. Suryakumar Yadav was adjudged as the Player of the Match for his superb innings and Axar Patel was adjudged as the Player of the Series for his wonderful performances throughout the series.