India captain Suryakumar Yadav on Tuesday added another feather to his T20 international cap as he became the joint-second fastest to 2000 runs in the format during the ongoing second match against South Africa in Gqeberha.
Surya needed 15 runs to reach the landmark and equal Virat Kohli's record. Both Indian stars achieved the feat in 56 innings.
Former Pakistan captain Babar Azam and his teammate Muhammad Rizwan are the joint-fastest overall to enter the 2K club in just 52 innings followed by Kohli and Surya, who is the quickest batter to reach the landmark in terms of balls faced (1164).
Record-breaking SKY
Surya also became the first Indian captain to score a T20I fifty in South Africa during his knock. Surya brought up his 17th half-century off 29 balls as India crossed the 100-run mark in the 11th over after being put into bat.
Most 50+ scores against South Africa in T20Is
4 - Jonny Bairstow (13 inns)
4 - Mohammad Rizwan (11 inns)
4 - David Warner (15 inns)
4 - Suryakumar Yadav (5 inns)*
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He was dismissed for 56 off 36 balls by leg-spinner Tabraiz Shamsi in the 14th over. India's score at the time of his dismissal was 125 for 4 in 13.5 overs.
Surya is leading India in the absence of regular skipper Rohit Sharma and vice-captain Hardik Pandya. Rohit has been rested from the white-ball leg of this tour while Pandya is recuperating from an ankle injury and is likely to be out of action till the IPL 2024.
Indian team combination
India are also missing opener Ruturaj Gaikwad in this match due to illness while No. 1 T20I bowler Ravi Bishnoi and experienced batted Shreyas Iyer have been left out of the playing XI.
India have gone into the match with five specialist batters and bowlers along with wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma. The series stands level at 0-0 after the opening match was washed out by rain in Durban on Sunday.
