Former Pakistan cricketer Wasim Akram has spoken about how bowlers can trouble Suryakumar Yadav in the T20s ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final between India and England. He said the bowlers should go around the wicket and deliver the yorkers outside the off stump.

Indian batsman Suryakumar Yadav is undoubtedly one of the toughest batsmen to bowl in T20 cricket. The middle order batsman makes batting look so easy and his ability to change the course of the game in the span of a few overs sets him apart from other batsmen.

Suryakumar Yadav is one of the few batsmen in the game of cricket who can play shots in all areas of the field. His ability to craft shots from awkward positions has meant that players have often not bothered him and conceded runs to him in the shortest format of the game.

Suryakumar Yadav is currently part of the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup 2024. The batsman has had a sensational touch with the bat and is one of the main factors for India to reach the semi-final. He would now be eager to make an impact against England in the big match of the tournament.

Before the semi-final, Wasim Akram spoke about the strategy to eliminate Suryakumar Yadav. He cited the example of Dwayne Bravo and said that the former West Indies bowler used to bowl yorkers from close to the wicket and that was a way of stopping Indian batsmen. Speaking to Sportskeeda, he explained:

“If you think what will happen now? You will get hit. He has so many shots that you will make a mistake. You shouldn’t have any negativity in your mind. I don’t see any league where a right-handed fast bowler spins around a wicket and makes a yorker after a stump like Darren Bravo used to do. Yes, no one does that. This is not rocket science. Watching this show, you should also try to go around the wicket and hit the ball from the blue line.

“For that, the field will change. For that, the third man will be up. The point will go back a little bit. An extra cover will be outside the boundary. An extra cover will be inside the circle. And the midfielder will be down. For that, you might have to keep fine leg up. You might have to keep square leg up. Let it go there. Let it hit. Then follow it. That won’t be a wide ball.

If you’re already a little scared, maybe Sky will come. What will happen? Then they will beat you – Wasim Akram

Wasim Akram further stated that bowling to 360-degree batsmen like Suryakumar Yadav tests the bowler’s mindset. He stated that one should appreciate the challenge and be positive. He elaborated:

“So, I would have done this and that. I wouldn’t have come and been hit for six. Maybe I would have been hit. No doubt I would have been hit. But at least, I would have changed my plan. I wouldn’t have been predictable as a bowler. It depends on your mindset as a bowler. If you are already a little scared, maybe Sky will come. Then you should be looking forward to this kind of challenge as a bowler.

“You can get hit. But I have to get it out. And only when you can get saved in T20, you will have to get it out. Especially in the last 5-6 overs. If you don’t go for the save, you will have to get hit by the bowler. So , at that stage, mentality is very important. You should never think. You should not have negativity in your mind,” he concluded.