Suryakumar Yadav, the newly appointed T20I captain of India, has equaled Virat Kohli’s record for the most Man of the Match awards in T20 internationals.
Suryakumar achieved this feat in just 69 matches, whereas Kohli took 125 matches to reach the same milestone. This highlights Suryakumar’s rapid ascent in the shortest format of the game.
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Suryakumar now boasts 16 Man of the Match awards, matching Virat Kohli’s tally. He accomplished this milestone with an outstanding performance against Sri Lanka, scoring 58 runs off 26 balls and leading India to a 43-run victory.
Let’s review the top Man of the Match award winners in T20Is.
Top Man of the Match award winners in T20Is
1. Suryakumar Yadav (India) – 16 (in 69 matches)
2. Virat Kohli (India) – 16 (in 125 matches)
3. Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe) – 15 (in 91 matches)
4. Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan) – 14 (in 129 matches)
5. Rohit Sharma (India) – 14 (in 159 matches)
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What did Suryakumar Yadav say after the 1st T20I match against Sri Lanka?
During the post-match presentation, Suryakumar commended the Sri Lankan team for their performance.
“They were playing a good brand of cricket from the outset. They maintained the tempo, credit to them. We understand the pitch behavior at night. We were lucky there wasn’t any dew. The way we played in the World Cup reminded us that the game was still far away. We will make decisions based on what benefits the team,” Suryakumar stated during the post-match presentation.
Can Suryakumar Yadav surpass Virat Kohli?
Given Suryakumar’s current form, it appears highly likely that he can surpass Kohli’s record. His ability to score quickly and his leadership qualities have solidified his place in India’s T20I squad, increasing the chances of winning more Man of the Match awards.
As the T20I series unfolds, all eyes will be on Suryakumar to see if he can set a new benchmark in T20 cricket.