STATS HIGHLIGHTS
Follow UsThough Hong Kong lost by 40 runs, their efforts were commendable. Batting first, India looked like they would crawl to a total around the 160-170 mark. However, a Suryakumar Yadav special propelled the total to a massive 192. In response, Hong Kong were on track in the first six overs when they were 51/2. But the Indian spinners pulled things back and helped Rohit Sharma's side seal the super four spot.
SKY exceeding limits
It is hard to compare any batter with AB de Villiers, but if any one that comes close to him is Surya. His innings today against Hong Kong was an example of it.
Coming into bat in the last six overs of the innings, Surya blasted his way to a sensational unbeaten knock of 68 from 26 balls. Out of those 68, 60 runs came through boundaries. He scored 53 runs in the last five overs. Only the second Indian batter after Yuvraj Singh in 2007 against England to score 50+ runs in the last five overs.
He hit six fours and six maximums, all six of those came in the last five overs. Only Yuvraj in his blinder against England in 2007, had hit more sixes (7) among Indians in this phase of an innings.
Rohit reaches new heights
After going past Martin Guptill’s tally of 3497 runs in the match against Pakistan, Rohit registered 3500 runs with a single in the first ball of the innings. He now is the first batsman to the landmark. He was also the first batter to reach the 2500-run mark in T20Is.
In the fifth over of the innings, before being dismissed, Rohit registered 12k runs as an opener in international cricket. He is the 15th opener overall and fourth Indian to achieve this feat in international cricket. Among the 15, he is the second fastest (276 innings) after Sachin Tendulkar (270) to the landmark.
Virat Kohli equals Rohit
At one point of time, both of India’s best batters, Virat Kohli and Rohit were competing each other, innings by innings, for the top spot (highest run scorer in T20Is). But now, Rohit is 118 runs ahead of Kohli in the race.
However, in his innings against Hong Kong, Kohli leveled the number of 50+ scores hit by Rohit. With 31 scores of over 50, Kohli now has the joint most 50+ scores in T20Is alongside the Indian skipper.
India go big in the last five overs
At the end of the 15th over, India had only 114 runs on board. Kohli and Surya started off the last five overs stage with a 20-run 16th over. Apart from the four-run overs by Ehsan Khan (17th), India scored 13+ runs in the remaining four overs. By virtue of it, India scored 78 runs, which is their third most runs scored in this phase of an innings.
Out of those 78 runs, 48 came through sixes, two by Kohli and six from Surya’s bat. The eight sixes hit in the last five overs are the most in an innings in this phase for India.
Avesh Khan’s poor outing
In both the matches so far, Avesh’s bowling has been a concern. In the match against Pakistan, he leaked runs at an economy of 9.5 in his two overs and in this match, he conceded 53 runs in his four-over spell, an economy of 13.25.
Making his debut in 2022, Avesh has played 15 matches and has an economy of 9.1, not the start he would have expected. In a calendar year of T20I, among bowlers who have bowled 25+ overs, no Indian bowler has conceded more than Avesh.
Rahul struggling to find his touch
In recent times, KL Rahul has been under scrutiny for slow start. In the era of India’s new approach, Rahul’s return as opener made way for criticism. His knock today has widened it even more.
As usual, his start was very slow as he scored only four runs in his first 10 balls. But even after his first 10, he failed to get going. In the end, he scored 36 of 39 balls at a strike rate of 92.3. In his T20I career, for the first time in an innings where he scored 20+ runs, Rahul scored at a strike rate of less than 100. His previous lowest came against Zimbabwe in 2016 (110).
