Suryakumar Yadav has been in fine form in 2022. In a low-scoring encounter against South Africa in the first T20I of the three-T20I series, Suryakumar broke Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan’s record of most T20I runs in a calendar year. Suryakumar also broke Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan’s record of most sixes in a calendar year.
Before the series opener at Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram, Suryakumar was tied with Rizwan with 42 sixes. Suryakumar tope-edged one over the third man fielder and went past Rizwan. Off the next delivery, he hit Anrich Nortje for another six to go past Dhawan, who had 689 runs from 17 innings in 2018.
Suryakumar went past Dhawan in his 21st innings this year. Also, he became the first Indian batter to score 700 or more runs in T20Is in a calendar year.
So far, he has scored one century and five half-centuries in 2022. In addition, he holds the record for most runs via boundaries in a year as well.
The 32-year-old walked out to bat in the seventh over of the run chase as Virat Kohli got out while chasing a short and wide delivery from Nortje. India were 17/1 in the seventh over and needed 90 more runs to win the game from 77 deliveries.
Surya’s attacking approach which needed a stroke of luck, tilted the game in India’s favour. He shared an unbeaten 93-run partnership with KL Rahul who was struggling to score runs on a challenging wicket. Suryakumar remained unbeaten for 50 off 33 deliveries including five fours and three sixes whereas Rahul achieved the slowest T20I half-century record for an Indian batter.
India won the game by eight wickets, chasing 107 down with 20 balls to spare.
