The Mumbai Indians (MI) secured their second victory of the season by defeating Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on April 11, thanks in large part to superstar batter Suryakumar Yadav. The explosive right-handed batter played a pivotal role in the match, scoring a swift fifty that eased MI's chase. After the game, former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh praised Yadav's performance on Star Sports, likening his batting to that of South African legend AB de Villiers due to his wide range of shots.
MI was pursuing a target of 197 and received a solid start from their openers. Suryakumar Yadav then took over, hammering the RCB bowlers for 52 runs off just 19 balls, including five fours and four sixes. MI reached the target in only 15.3 overs, winning the match by seven wickets.
Harbhajan lauds Suryakumar Yadav
Harbhajan highlighted the challenge bowlers faced when Yadav was at the crease, noting the difficulty in deciding where to bowl to him. He went on to describe Yadav as a player in a 'different league.'
"He has got an answer for every ball you bowl to him, whether it's wide yorker, bouncer. He can play sweep, pull, upper-cut and I don’t know what else he can play. He is a different kind of a player," Harbhajan said.
"Suryakumar is in a different league. When Suryakumar Yadav shines, no one can survive. We have all seen AB de Villiers; unbelievable player! But when I see this guy, I think he is a better version of AB de Villiers. He has won more number of games for his franchise than anyone playing now in this format," he added.
Suryakumar rolls back to clock
Suryakumar Yadav last played competitive cricket in December 2023 during a tour in South Africa, where he sustained an injury. He underwent surgery for a sports hernia and completed a rehabilitation program at the National Cricket Academy (NCA).
After missing the first three matches of the season for MI, he returned to the field but was dismissed for a duck in his comeback match against the Delhi Capitals (DC). Despite this setback, MI won the match by 29 runs. In his second game post-recovery, Yadav showcased his brilliance and justified his ranking as the number one T20 batter.
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