T20 World Cup: Virat Kohli, Suryakumar shine in India's 59-run win over beat Netherlands

T20 World Cup: Virat Kohli, Suryakumar shine in India's 59-run win over beat Netherlands

Electing to bat, India scored 179 for 2 and then restricted Netherlands to 123 for 9.

FPJ Web DeskUpdated: Thursday, October 27, 2022, 06:24 PM IST
article-image

G Unnikrishnan

Sydney: There cannot be a more distinctive pair than Suryakumar Yadav and Virat Kohli. They follow a completely different philosophy of batting.

Kohli prefers the traditional route where he builds the crescendo gradually but Suryakumar slings the gun from ball one.

Different style

But those two different schools of batting found the perfect way to express themselves as India outclassed Netherlands by 56 runs to register their second successive win in the T20 World Cup 2022 here at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Thursday.

Kohli began his innings in the archetypal manner as Rohit, who himself creamed a fifty, did the early running. Kohli was batting on 19 off 21 balls when Rohit was dismissed and India were 84 for 2 in the 12th over then.

A run rate of 7 in the 12th over does not cut the slack in T20Is any more and India too needed to find the overdrive. Suryakumar kicked on almost instantly, hammering the 3rd and 4th ball he faced off Paul van Meekeren to the fence for four. Surya explained the hurried approach.

“I just wanted to express myself. The message (from the dressing room) was loud and clear when I went in to bat. We wanted to go at 8-10 runs an over,” said Suryakumar after the match.

Sensing the touch Suryakumar in, Kohli ran hard between the wickets and ensured that his partner got as much strike as possible. The flow of Suryakumar also percolated to Kohli at a later stage as he opened up soon to carve a fifty for himself.

Kohli shifted the gears in a linear fashion and a couple of sixes in the end half ensured that Kohli finished with a strike-rate of 140 after going below 100 in the first 21 balls.

However, it was clear who posed greater danger to the Netherlands. Meekeren indicated the toughness to bowl at Suryakumar.

'Difficult to bowl at SKY'

“We hear and say a lot of things about Rohit and Virat but they are a bit traditionalists, I mean very good batsmen in their own right. But it is very difficult to bowl at SKY, as he picks the bowlers and slots a bit different from others.

“We were very clear that SKY is the danger man for us, and his records in the past one year or so will tell us the story,” said Meekeren during the post-match press conference.

But Kohli often works as the calming agent during a partnership with Suryakumar and the duo shares a wonderful camaraderie while batting.

Kohli and Suryakumar have batted together in 12 innings (3 unbeaten partnerships including) and made 551 runs. They have 2 fifty partnerships and as many hundred alliances and score runs at an average of 61.22. Remarkable consistency!

Suryakumar did acknowledge that he enjoyed batting with Kohli. “I enjoy batting with Kohli. The thoughts are very clear when we both are batting. If I get a few boundaries earlier then our partnership needs to be stretched and that’s what we are doing,” said Suryakumar.

It was quite evident in Sydney too. Once Suryakumar flicked Logan van Beek for a six off the last ball to complete his fifty, both him and Kohli celebrated quite animatedly. It came off just 25 balls at a strike rate of 204.

Did anyone say we need like minded people for a partnership to work?

Brief Score:

India: 179 for 2 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 62 not out, Rohit Sharma 53, Suryakumar Yadav 51 not out; Paul van Meekeren 1/32) beat

The Netherlands: 123 for 9 in 20 overs (Tim Pringle 20; Bhuvneshwar Kumar 2/9, Axar Patel 2/18, Ravichandran Ashwin 2/21, Arshdeep Singh 2/37)

RECENT STORIES

'We Are The Toughest Team In IPL 2024': Hardik Pandya Tries To Cheer Up MI Players After Crushing...

'We Are The Toughest Team In IPL 2024': Hardik Pandya Tries To Cheer Up MI Players After Crushing...

Andhra Cricket Association Serves Show-Cause Notice To Hanuma Vihari

Andhra Cricket Association Serves Show-Cause Notice To Hanuma Vihari

'London Is Absolute Disgrace Of A Place': Kevin Pietersen SLAMS Mayor Sadiq Khan Over Train Stabbing...

'London Is Absolute Disgrace Of A Place': Kevin Pietersen SLAMS Mayor Sadiq Khan Over Train Stabbing...

‘What Is So Funny?’: Sports Tak Panelists Slam ‘Silly’ Hardik Pandya After MI's Record...

‘What Is So Funny?’: Sports Tak Panelists Slam ‘Silly’ Hardik Pandya After MI's Record...

List Of Records Broken During SRH vs MI IPL 2024 Clash In Hyderabad

List Of Records Broken During SRH vs MI IPL 2024 Clash In Hyderabad