'Very few players play at that pace': Navjot Singh Sidhu lauds Suryakumar Yadav's performance in T20 World Cup

New Delhi, June 16

Former India cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu lauded the star Indian batter Suryakumar Yadav following his unbeaten knock against the hosts, the United States at the Nassau International Cricket Stadium in New York.

Suryakumar didn’t have the start that the world no 1 T20I batter wanted as he failed to make a mark in the first two matches of the ongoing competition. However, the right-hand batter played an unbeaten innings of 50 runs from 49 balls which was laced with two fours and sixes each in his innings at a strike rate of 102.04 against the hosts, United States.

The former Indian opener asserted that the middle-order batter’s 40 per cent of runs in the innings against the USA came in the fine-leg area.

“He has made areas where playing shots was considered a crime. Almost 40 per cent of the runs in his innings were in the fine-leg area. He is playing in the reverse V. He is doing a 360-degree attack. So you cannot set a field. When you cannot set a field, you are left stunned,” Sidhu said on Star Sports.

Sidhu further commented on Suryakumar’s pace at which he scores adding that if he goes past the 50-run mark then he will guide his team towards victory.

“The pace at which he scores, if he scores more than 50, he will win the match. Very few players play at that pace. Maybe Hardik Pandya and Travis Head, that too with the new ball against the short ball. There are very few game-changers,” the commentator added.

India concluded the first round with seven points and at the top of Group A. The Rohit Sharma-led side had already qualified for Super 8 following their victory over the co-hosts USA.

India will play their first match of the Super 8 on Thursday against Afghanistan at Kensington Oval Barbados.