Suryakumar Yadav scripts history, triggers Saurabh Netravalkar's worst-ever T20I World Cup spell

India's captain Suryakumar Yadav (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

India’s opening night of the T20 World Cup had both chaos and class, and two standout numbers from the match told the story better than anything else. Saurabh Netravalkar finished with figures of 0 for 65, the most expensive spell ever recorded in T20 World Cup history. It surpassed Sanath Jayasuriya’s 0 for 64 against Pakistan in Johannesburg back in 2007. The numbers were harsh, but they also reflected the damage done at the death by an Indian captain who refused to let his team sink.

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Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten 84 off 49 balls was more than just a rescue act. It also placed him second on the list of highest scores in a debut innings as captain in T20 World Cups. Only Chris Gayle’s iconic 88 against Australia in 2009 stands above it. Highest score in debut innings as captain (T20 WC) 88 Chris Gayle vs Aus The Oval 2009 84*Suryakumar Yadav vs USA Wankhede 2026 68*Babar Azam vs Ind Dubai 2021 65 Mahela Jayawardene vs Ken Joburg 2007 61 Mohd Ashraful vs WO Joburg 2007 India’s innings began on a nervous note after USA captain Monank Patel won the toss and chose to bowl. Abhishek Sharma fell for a duck off the very first ball he faced, setting the tone for a difficult powerplay. The pressure only intensified as wickets kept tumbling. Tilak Varma and Ishan Kishan departed in quick succession, and Shadley van Schalkwyk ripped through the middle order. Although Suryakumar walked in earlier at number four, the situation worsened rapidly around him. India slid to 77 for 6, with Hardik Pandya and Rinku Singh both caught in the deep. The Wankhede crowd, stunned into silence, watched their defending champions teeter on the brink. From that point on, Suryakumar took complete control. He paced the innings with remarkable calm, shepherded the tail, and then shifted gears decisively. The counterattack began in the 16th over when he exploded against Saurabh Netravalkar, hammering three fours and a towering six to swing momentum India’s way. His fifty came off 36 balls, and he was far from done. The final over summed up his authority, as Suryakumar smashed 21 runs off Netravalkar, including two more sixes, dragging India past the 160 mark and giving their bowlers something to work with. Van Schalkwyk finished with an impressive 4 for 25, but the night ultimately belonged to India’s captain. From 77 for 6 to 161 for 9, Suryakumar Yadav turned a collapse into a contest, and etched his name into T20 World Cup history in the process.

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