Team India’s Vice-captain KL Rahul was awarded with the player of the match award for his 57 off 28 that set the platform for the hosts to put a strong total in front of visitors in the second T20I on Sunday.
His knock at the top of the order was that impactful as India managed to score 237 for 3 in their 20-over quota.
But as soon as he walked back and Surya came in to the crease in the 12th over of the game he smashed the bowlers all around the park.
The highest-ranked Indian batter in T20Is, Surya has scored 61 off just 22 to help India cross the 200-run mark during the 18th over of the game.
The talk after the game was Suryakumar will get the player of the match award for his impeccable knock that included five fours and five at a strike rate of 277.27.
However, Rahul got the award in place of Surya. And that did not sit well with the fans and the vice-captain himself.
KL Rahul on Suryakumar Yadav
“Quite honestly I’m surprised I’m getting this [award]. I think Surya, the way he batted, had a bigger impact on the game. And he changed the game.
“After the first two-three overs, the chat between me and Rohit [Sharma] was that the wicket is a bit sticky, it’s gripping a bit, certain slower ones were gripping, so we were in our minds saying 180-185 would be a really good target if we bat well, but the game always surprises you,” Rahul said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
The decision was made while considering the difficult role of an opener.
“We as opening batters always think our job is tougher. But having batted a few innings in the middle order in ODIs. I do realise that’s difficult as well,” Rahul said with a smile. “Like I said, Surya had a bigger impact. The way Virat [Kohli, who scored 49* in 28] batted as well. It’s not been easy for someone like Dinesh [Karthik, who got 17* in seven]; he doesn’t get too many balls. Just to walk in there and do what’s expected was a phenomenal batting effort.”
Virat Kohli misses half-century
In between the KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav’s knocks. The one knock which got totally unnoticed was former Indian skipper’s 49 not out off 28.
With 7 balls left and Kohli was on 49, everyone believed Kohli will hit another half-century. The run-machine Kohli, however, missed the take even a single of the final ball of the nineteenth over. That put him on the non-striker end for the final over.
Still, there were 6 balls left, but Karthik was in no mood to settle for less than a boundary on every ball and didn’t took a single in the process. The veteran smashed one more and two maximums to guide India to 237 for 3 in 20 overs.
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