Former Pakistan batsman and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal made a bold statement about Indian batsman Suryakumar Yadav ahead of the match between India and Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2024. Kamran Akmal stated that Suryakumar Yadav is yet to deliver with the bat against Pakistan in the international cricket.
The Rohit Sharma-led team will take on the Pakistan team in the 19th match of the World Cup at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Sunday, June 9. The Men in Blue will increase their chances of reaching the Super Eight. stages of the tournament if they achieve a victory against Pakistan.
Suryakumar Yadav scored just two runs off four balls against Ireland in India’s World Cup opener, where the Men in Blue cruised to a comfortable eight-wicket victory. The right-handed batsman scored just 57 runs in four T20I matches against Pakistan at a disappointing average of 14.25 and a strike rate of 123.91.
Suryakumar Yadav has not scored big runs against Pakistan – Kamran Akmal
Speaking to the Times of India, Kamran Akmal said that Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have proven their worth against Pakistan with their performances in ICC tournaments. Akmal said Suryakumar Yadav has struggled against Pakistan despite his first-place finish in T20Is.
“Virat Kohli is at the top. Second is Suryakumar Yadav. His performance against Pakistan is yet to come, but I will still pick him. Rohit Sharma has already proven himself and scored runs against Pakistan in ICC events, and now It’s Suryakumar Yadav’s. “If he is number one, then he should come and score against Pakistan.”
“He hasn’t scored big runs against Pakistan every time he has come to bat. However, he has scored a lot of runs against other teams. He is a classy player and a 360-degree player. It is a pleasure to watch him bat. He has cemented his place in a very short time,” Akmal said.
Suryakumar Yadav will face challenges from Pakistan fast bowlers Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Haris Rauf and Naseem Shah on a bowling-friendly pitch in New York. The much-anticipated match will likely be played on the field used for the match between Netherlands and South Africa on Saturday.
No match for Jasprit Bumrah – Kamran Akmal
Kamran Akmal expressed his admiration for Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling prowess and stated that there is no match for him. The former opener claimed that Kuldeep Yadav can trouble Pakistan’s batsmen and added that Pakistan should expect him not to play.
“In bowling, there is no match for Bumrah. Be it T20, ODI or Tests, he will come and enjoy the format and conditions. If he is sleeping and you wake him up to bowl, he can still take wickets. Such is a player classy. I am very happy to see Yuzvendra Chahal back. More than Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav can put pressure on Pakistan and create a lot of problems for them. Pakistan should be careful with Kuldeep,” Akmal added.
Kuldeep Yadav was benched for the first match against Ireland. The Indian team management preferred two left-arm finger spinners, Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel, for the match. The Indian team is expected to pick the left-arm wrist spinner for the high-octane match against Pakistan.
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