Suryakumar Yadav played a stellar innings to lead India to a seven-wicket victory over co-hosts United States of America (USA) in the Group A match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. The game was held at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Wednesday (June 12).
USA’s brave performance against India
In the game, USA put up a valiant fight but ultimately fell short against the formidable Indian team. Batting first on a challenging pitch, USA managed to post a total of 110/7. The pitch conditions made it difficult for the batters to score freely, but USA, in the absence of their regular skipper Monank Patel, showed resilience in their innings. However, India’s bowling attack kept the pressure on, preventing the hosts from setting a more daunting target, under the leadership of Arshdeep Singh who picked up four wickets.
Early setbacks for India
India faced a shaky start to their chase, thanks to a brilliant spell from USA’s left-arm pacer Saurabh Netravalkar. In the very first over, he claimed the prized wicket of Virat Kohli for a golden duck. Netravalkar continued his impressive performance by dismissing Indian captain Rohit Sharma for just 3 runs in the third over, leaving India struggling at 10/ 2. The early breakthroughs gave USA a glimmer of hope as they put India under significant pressure.
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Suryakumar Yadav’s match-winning knock
Despite the early setbacks, Suryakumar Yadav anchored India’s innings with a composed and determined knock. After a brief 29-run partnership with Rishabh Pant, who was dismissed for 18, India found themselves in a precarious position at 39/3. Nevertheless, Suryakumar stood firm and crafted a crucial unbeaten 50 off 49 balls. His innings was characterized by patience and strategic shot selection, which ultimately steadied India’s chase. Suryakumar’s unbroken partnership of 72 runs with Shivam Dube, who provided solid support, guided India to victory.
Devisha Shetty and Rohit Sharma’s contrasting reaction
The flawless innings of Suryakumar Yadav had a few moments of scare. A pivotal moment in the match came in the 14th over when Suryakumar, batting confidently, edged a ball that soared high into the air. Saurabh Netravalkar, positioned at short third-man, moved swiftly to attempt the catch but unfortunately dropped it, granting the 33-year-old a crucial reprieve when he was on 22.
The cameras captured the immediate reactions of Suryakumar’s wife, Devisha Shetty, and skipper Rohit. Devisha, who had been watching anxiously, breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as her husband continued his innings. In contrast, Rohit displayed visible frustration at the risky shot selection by his teammate.
Here’s the video:
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