"It was an important 47 because Gill got out early" - T20 World Cup winner's massive claim on Suryakumar Yadav after IND vs PAK Asia Cup 2025 clash

Former Indian wicketkeeper Dinesh Karthik praised skipper Suryakumar Yadav for his unbeaten 47 against Pakistan in the ongoing 2025 Asia Cup. The 35-year-old came into the tournament on the back of poor form in T20Is, averaging only 15.09 in the 2024/25 season.

Surya had also struggled historically against Pakistan in the shortest format with a highest score of only 18 in his previous five matches. However, the right-hander showcased his prowess in a relatively comfortable run-chase of 128, helping his side win by seven wickets.

Talking about Suryakumar Yadav's knock after the game on Cricbuzz, Karthik said (3:31):

"It was an important 47 purely because Gill got out early. He walked in at a stage where you lose a couple more wickets and the game looks different. And his record against Pakistan hasn't been great. He would have wanted to set that right. On a tough pitch which wasn't too easy to bat, he made batting look simple. He stuck to his shots and completed it with absolute comfort in terms of the approach to chasing down a small total like this."

He added:

"We always see him take down the fast bowlers a lot but today it was his turn to show how good he is against spinners. He played the sweep to a nice effect and the cut shot nicely. After taking over captaincy, his form hasn't been as good as we are used to prior to captaincy. But the fact is that he is a world class player without a doubt. He had a quiet start to the IPL actually in the first couple of games and then just took off."

Surya walked in to bat with India a wicket down for only 22 runs after two overs. However, he looked untroubled throughout his stay at the crease, finishing with five boundaries and a maximum.

"It's the best format for him" - Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik hailed Suryakumar Yadav for his consistency in the shortest format after the India-Pakistan clash in the Asia Cup 2025. The Indian skipper boasts outstanding T20I numbers with the bat, averaging 39 at a strike rate of 166.37 in 85 matches.

"Once he takes off, he just keeps going with the momentum. He knows how to get his runs in T20. It's the best format for him. He exactly has a template which is very well suited to what is required to excel in this format. And he keeps rinsing and repeating it every time he is out on the cricket field. The fact that the captain is batting so well and taking down opponents and making sure we get home, it's a very good sign," said Karthik (via the aforementioned source).

Surya's heroics helped India win their second consecutive game to begin their 2025 Asia Cup campaign. They will look to finish atop Group A with a win over Oman in Dubai on Friday, September 19.

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Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran