On Thursday, top-order batsman Suryakumar Yadav played a vital role in India’s 8-run victory in the fourth game of the five-match T20I series against England.
Sent to bat at No. 3, Suryakumar opened his account with a first-ball six over fine leg off Jofra Archer and then went on to complete his maiden half-century in T20Is.
Suryakumar, who received a national team call-up after making his name in the IPL and domestic circuit, slammed 57 runs off 31 balls before a controversial decision ended his scintillating innings. His knock was laced with six fours and three sixes.
The right-hander tried to play a ramp shot off Sam Curran but ended up being caught out by Dawid Malan in the deep. The decision was sent upstairs with a soft signal of ‘out’.
The replays suggested that the ball had touched the ground when Malan was completing the catch, but the third umpire stayed with the on-field umpire’s decision citing “lack of conclusive evidence”.
गजब है! टेक्नोलॉजी का क्या फायदा जब ग्राउंड अंपायर के साथ ही जाना है। साफ नॉट आउट था।👎😠#INDvENG #INDvsENG pic.twitter.com/ZTEH9gxfpa
— Shashank Pradhan (@PradhanShashank) March 18, 2021
Thanks to Suryakumar’s innings, which guided the Men in Blue to a competitive total of 185/8 and later turned out to be a match-winning one.
“Very happy with the way the things went outside. My plan was really clear when I went out to bat. I have seen Archer in the last two-three seasons in the IPL, I watched all of his games, whenever a new batsman comes in, what plans he has, obviously I had my plans as well,” Suryakumar was quoted as saying by ANI during a virtual press conference.
“It was a great opportunity for me to bat at number three for India. Yeah, I knew he will come a little short at me, I am really happy with the way things went. Regarding my dismissal, not really disappointed because few things are not in my control. Things that are in my control, I try to control that and things outside that, are not in my hands,” he added.
