India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav has joined the elite group of cricketers after leading the national team to victory over Sri Lanka in the three-match T20I series. Suryakumar Yadav is now just behind the legendary Virat Kohli in the list of the most Player of the Series awards in the shortest international format.
Suryakumar Yadav led the Men in Blue to a 3-0 win in the recently concluded T20I series in Sri Lanka. The visiting team secured a victory via a Super Over in the third and final T20I match at Pallekele on Tuesday, July 30. Suryakumar was awarded the ‘Player of the Series’ for his batting performances.
The 33-year-old cricketer scored 58 runs off 26 balls, including eight boundaries and two sixes, during the series. He then piled on 26 runs off 12 balls in the rain-interrupted match. He managed to score just eight runs off nine balls in the final match. He ended the series as the leading run-scorer for the Indian team.
Suryakumar Yadav joins elite list after third T20I match
Suryakumar Yadav earned his fifth Player of the Series award in T20 international matches. He is just behind Virat Kohli who has six awards in T20 international matches. Suryakumar has the same number of awards as Babar Azam, Shakib Al Hasan and David Warner but he achieved it in fewer matches in T20I cricket.
Most Player of the Series awards in T20I
Virat Kohli (India) – 6 (in 125 matches)
Suryakumar Yadav (India) – 5 (in 71 matches)
Babar Azam (Pakistan) – 5 (in 123 matches)
David Warner (Australia) – 5 (in 110 matches)
Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) – 5 (in 129 matches)
Yadav has played 71 T20I matches for India. He has scored 2432 runs at an average of 42.67 and a strike rate of 168.65, including four centuries and 20 half-centuries. He has established himself as a key player for India and one of the best T20I players globally. He is currently the second-ranked batsman in T20I cricket.
India complete 3-0 whitewash in Sri Lanka T20I
India made four changes to their starting XI for the third and final T20I match of the series. The Indian team managed to score just 137 runs for the loss of nine wickets in 20 overs. Shubman Gill was the top scorer for India, scoring 39 runs in 37 balls. Maheesh Theekshana took three wickets for 28 runs in four overs.
Chasing 138, Sri Lankan openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis laid the foundation with a 58-run stand. Mendis then added a 52-run stand with Kusal Perera. Ravi Bishnoi broke the stand by dismissing Mendis. Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh and Suryakumar Yadav picked up two wickets each.
Rinku Singh took two crucial wickets when Sri Lanka needed nine off 12 balls. Then, Suryakumar bowled the final over. The Indian captain conceded five runs, leading to the Super Over. Washington conceded just two runs in the Super Over before Surya guided the team to victory with a boundary.
Also Read: Rohit Sharma issues official statement after Suryakumar Yadav storms Sri Lanka to victory in India
