Cricket fans worldwide are buzzing as India’s dynamic captain, Suryakumar Yadav, etched his name into the T20 International record books. During the thrilling opening match of the series against Australia at the Manuka Oval in Canberra, Yadav became the fastest batsman from a full member ICC nation to smash 150 sixes in the shortest format of the game. He achieved this remarkable milestone in just 86 innings, having faced 1,649 deliveries in his T20I career.
While UAE’s Muhammad Waseem holds the overall record for reaching 150 sixes in fewer innings (66 innings, 1,543 balls), it’s important to note that Waseem represents an associate member nation of the ICC, making Yadav’s achievement unparalleled among the elite cricketing nations.
Yadav’s explosive batting has consistently thrilled audiences, and this new record further solidifies his standing as one of the most exciting T20 players globally. Currently, Rohit Sharma leads the pack with an impressive 205 T20I sixes, followed by Muhammad Waseem (187), Martin Guptill (173), Jos Buttler (172), and now Suryakumar Yadav, with his rapidly growing tally of 150* sixes.
The match itself saw India in a strong position before rain interrupted play. Having been asked to bat first, India had reached 97/1 in 9.4 overs when the heavens opened for the second time. Suryakumar Yadav was at the crease, looking dangerous with an unbeaten 39 runs off just 24 balls, including three fours and two powerful sixes. He was ably supported by Shubman Gill, who had scored 37 runs off 20 deliveries. Their crucial 62-run partnership from only 35 balls had set a solid foundation.
The initial rain delay had already shortened the game to an 18-over contest. Earlier in the innings, Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for 19, caught by Tim David off Nathan Ellis, leaving India at 35/1 in the fourth over.
Before the match commenced, Suryakumar Yadav expressed his contentment with batting first, citing favorable pitch conditions. He mentioned hearing from team analysts that the pitch, having not hosted many recent games, might slow down in the latter half, making batting first a strategic advantage. He also commented on the team’s preparation, noting, ‘We were here three, four days before this game. Though it was cold yesterday and today. But today, it looks good. Hopefully, we’ll have a good game.’
India’s team for this opening T20I featured several changes, with Suryakumar confirming the absence of key players like Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep, and Nitish. Australia, on the other hand, had won the toss and elected to field first.