Cricket
Not Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli! Harbhajan Singh names “biggest match-winner” in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 team
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Former Indian cricketer Harbhajan Singh said that Suryakumar Yadav’s return to form is crucial for India as they head into the Super 8 stage of the 2024 T20 World Cup. Harbhajan Singh described Suryakumar Yadav as the team’s biggest match-winner, stating that he demoralizes the opposition with his batting.
Suryakumar Yadav failed to deliver with the bat in India’s first two matches against Ireland and Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2024. However, the middle-order batter returned to form in the clash against the USA. Suryakumar scored a crucial match-winning half-century on a challenging surface in New York.
The 33-year-old batter scored an unbeaten 50 runs off 49 balls to help the team chase down a 110-run target with 10 balls to spare. Yadav added a crucial 72-run partnership with Shivam Dube (31) after Team India collapsed to 39/3. The Rohit Sharma-led team sealed their Super 8 berth after a victory over the USA.
We Always Talk About Match Winners – Harbhajan Singh
Speaking on Star Sports, Harbhajan Singh emphasized the significance of Suryakumar Yadav’s return to form. Harbhajan called him a special and different-level player, noting that runs coming from his bat are an auspicious sign for India’s prospects in the tournament.
“It’s extremely important. We always talk about match-winners. I feel Suryakumar Yadav is the biggest match-winner in this team because the day he plays, he not only wins the match but takes the match far away from the opposition. The opposition can’t even think that they can win the game,” Harbhajan said.
“He is a special player. He is a different-level player. It’s good that runs came from his bat that day because if those runs hadn’t come, it could have been a cause for worry. However, runs coming from his bat is an auspicious sign for India,” he added.
The Men in Blue won their first three Group A matches in New York against Ireland, Pakistan, and the United States of America. Their last group game against Canada in Florida on Saturday, June 15, was called off without any play due to adverse weather conditions.
It’s Great Sign For The Dressing Room – Harbhajan Singh
Harbhajan Singh highlighted that Suryakumar Yadav’s presence in the middle brings calm to the dressing room. The cricketer-turned-commentator said that Suryakumar can lead the team to victory as long as he remains at the crease.
“It’s a great sign for the dressing room as well because when he bats, the dressing room is absolutely calm. They know that until he is there, he will win the match and come out,” Harbhajan further stated.
Suryakumar Yadav scored only nine runs in his first two innings. However, he bounced back strongly with an unbeaten half-century in India’s seven-wicket victory over the USA. Suryakumar has scored 2,200 runs in his T20I career at an impressive strike rate of 168.06, including four centuries and 18 half-centuries.
He will be next seen in action when the Rohit Sharma-led team faces Afghanistan in their first Super 8 match at the Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados, on June 20.
Also read: Babar, Shaheen, Haris, Rizwan all to get sacked as PCB told to retain only the Pakistan coaching setup after T20 World Cup 2024
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