Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi said that Mohammad Rizwan can learn a lot from Suryakumar Yadav about batting in T20 cricket. Afridi’s comments came in the aftermath of Suryakumar’s stunning assault over the Zimbabwean bowlers as he plundered 61* off 25 balls.
At the moment, it seems like Suryakumar Yadav has been batting on a different pitch to most other batters in the T20 World Cup. Suryakumar has cracked 225 runs in the tournament – the third-highest currently – at a flourishing strike rate of 193. On the other hand, Rizwan, the Pakistani opener, has scored 103 runs at a strike rate of 100, against the same opposition as Suryakumar.
Shahid Afridi reckons Suryakumar Yadav’s experience over the past decade helps him
Despite his strike rate clearly not up to the requirements, Mohammad Rizwan, when asked about whether there is a need of a change in his approach, remained adamant on his batting style.
However, Shahid Afridi, the man who helped Pakistan win the 2009 T20 World Cup, asserted that a batsman like Suryakumar succeeds because he has the shots and the intent to bat in the shortest format, adding that Suryakumar’s vast experience of domestic matches assists him very well. It’s all about skill and practice of playing such range-filled strokes, Afridi believes as far as T20 cricket is concerned.
“Bilkul theek kaha. Sabse important cheez jo mention huya hai ki 200-250 domestic matches khel ke woh (Suryakumar) India team mein aaya hai. Uss ladke ko apni game ka pata hai. Jitni bhi shotein marta hai woh achi ball o pe bhi maarta hai because uss cheez ki usne practice ki hai. Jitni skill aapke paas hogi utne ache impact wale player aap honge. Toh apko shots develop karne parenge, yeh format hi waisa hai (You are absolutely right. The most important thing about Suryakumar is that he played 200-250 matches in domestic circuit before coming to international cricket. He knows his game. And he can target the good balls as well because he practices those shots. In this format, you need to evolve as a batter and develop your game),” he said.
With South Africa losing to Pakistan and Netherlands, Babar Azam got a lifeline in the tournament and they have snuck into the semis where they will face New Zealand on Wednesday. The second semi-final is between India and England on Thursday.
