ICC T20 World Cup 2022: Suryakumar's fiery knock assures IND of top spot, netizens roar
India thumped Zimbabwe by 71 runs in the Super 12 of the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup in Melbourne on Sunday. Suryakumar Yadav's blistering unbeaten 61 has assured the Indians of the top spot, as netizens are roaring.
It was a strong performance by Team India in the final Super 12 engagement of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022, thumping minnows Zimbabwe by 71 runs at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) on Sunday. As a result of this triumph, India has finished at the top of its group table, with four wins and a flop, as it would be taking on former champion England in the semis on Thursday at the Adelaide Oval. Middle-order batter Suryakaumar Yadav's blistering knock of 25-ball unbeaten 61 was the highlight of the contest, while veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin shone with the ball as the netizens roared.
Winning the toss, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma opted to bat while resting veteran wicketkeeper-finisher Dinesh Karthik for the young Rishabh Pant. Although Rohit (15) departed in the fourth over of the Powerplay (PP) to pacer Blessing Muzarabani, with 24 runs on the board, a 60-run stand transpired between fellow opener KL Rahul (51) and Virat Kohli (26) before the latter fell to orthodox-spinner Sean Williams in the 12th.
CATCH ALL ICC T20 WORLD CUP 2022 UPDATES HERE
At this time, Rahul hit his 22nd Twenty20 International (T20I) half-century before falling to off-spinner Sikandar Raza in the following over at 95. The subsequent over saw Pant (2) fall to Williams after six runs, as a 65-run partnership happened between Suryakumar and Hardik Pandya (18) before the latter was dismissed by pacer Richard Ngarava in the final over, while the Indians finished on a formidable total of 186/5, whereas the last over yielded 21 runs.
Williams bagged a couple for the Zimbabweans and nailed it with his economy. During the chase, they lost three for 28 by the sixth over of the PP and half of its side for 36 by the eighth before a 60-run stand ensued between Raza (34) and Ryan Burl (35).
ALSO READ:Â ICC T20 WORLD CUP 2022 - TWITTER GOES BERSERK AS SURYAKUMAR'S BLITZKRIEG PROPELS IND TO 186/5
Ashwin knocked over Burl in the 14th, thus once again opening the floodgates for the Chevrons. Raza became the ninth man to be sent back off pacer Pandya in the 17th. The side was eventually skittled for 115 by the 18th. As for the Men in Blue, Ashwin scalped three, while seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar fascinated all with his stable economy.
Brief scores: IND 186/5 (Rahul- 51, Yadav- 61*; Williams- 2/9) defeated ZIM 115 in 17.2 overs (Raza- 34, Burl- 35; Ashwin- 3/22) by 71 runs.