After delivering a match-winning knock of 53 off 28 balls against Afghanistan in the T20 World Cup Super 8 match, India batter Suryakumar Yadav showered praise on Afghan spinner Rashid Khan, calling him the world’s best bowler. Suryakumar’s innings, which included hitting 16 runs off the six deliveries he faced from Rashid, played a crucial role in lifting India to a competitive total of 181/8 at the Kensington Oval on Thursday night.

Speaking after the match, the world No. 1 T20I batter emphasized the importance of asserting dominance against a player of Rashid Khan’s calibre.

“I have said this before and I’ll say it again on air: when he bowls, it’s very difficult to pick him. So I know what shots I want to play when I’m inside. Best bowler in the world. You can’t let him dominate. You have to be a step ahead. But I am happy to be on the better side today,” said Suryakumar Yadav.

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India, batting first, found themselves at 79/3 after 10 overs, having lost key wickets including those of Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Virat Kohli. However, Suryakumar’s partnership with Hardik Pandya stabilized the innings, leading to a solid first-innings score of 181/8.

In response, Afghanistan struggled and were bowled out for 134, largely due to an exceptional bowling performance by Jasprit Bumrah, who finished with figures of 3-7. India secured a comprehensive 47-run victory.

For his match-defining knock, Suryakumar Yadav was adjudged Player of the Match. Reflecting on his performance, he said, “I think there’s a lot of hard work and practice behind this. And as I say again and again, there are a lot of processes and routines involved. When I play the game, I know I’m pretty clear in my mind about what I want to do.”

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When asked about the adjustments needed after playing on challenging pitches in the USA before moving to the Caribbean, the 33-year-old responded, “I think you just need to know what the game plan is. You practice accordingly during the practice sessions, understand your game, and when you go inside, give the team what it requires on that given day.”