Wasim Akram helps England, reveals how to trouble Suryakumar Yadav a day before T20 World Cup semi-final

Former Pakistan cricketer Wasim Akram opened up about how bowlers can trouble Suryakumar Yadav in the T20s ahead of the semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2024 between India and England. He said that bowlers should go around the wicket and deliver yorkers on off-stump.

India batter Suryakumar Yadav no doubt is one of the hardest batters to bowl in the T20 cricket. The middle-order batter makes batting look so easy and his ability to change the course of the game within the span of a few overs sets him apart from the other batters.

Suryakumar Yadav is one of the few batters in the game of cricket who can play shots on all the areas of the ground. His ability to manufacture shots from awkward positions has often seen bowlers failing to trouble him and conceding runs against him in the shortest format of the game.

Suryakumar Yadav is currently part of the Indian team for the T20 World Cup 2024. The batter has looked in sensational touch with the bat and is one of the major factors behind India reaching the semi-final. He would now be keen to make an impact against England in the big game of the tournament.

Ahead of the semi-final, Wasim Akram talked about the strategy of how to get Suryakumar Yadav out. He cited the example of Dwayne Bravo, saying the former West Indies bowler used to bowl yorkers from around the wicket and that was a way to stop India's batters. Speaking to Sportskeeda, he explained:

"If you think what will happen now? You'll get hit. He has so many shots, you'll make a mistake. You shouldn't have any negativity in your mind. I don't see any league where a right-arm fast bowler goes around a wicket and does a yorker after an off-stump like Darren Bravo used to do if you remember. Yes. No one does that. That will come from practice. This is not rocket science. The young bowlers who are watching this show should also try to go around the around the wicket and hit the ball from the blue line.

"For that, the field will change. For that,the third man will be up. The point will go back a little. An extra cover will be outside the boundary. An extra cover will be inside the circle. And the mid-off will be down. For that, maybe you'll have to keep the fine leg up. Maybe you'll have to keep the square leg up. Let him go there. Let him hit. Then you follow him. That won't be a wide ball.

If you're already a little scared, maybe Sky will come. What will happen? Then you'll get hit - Wasim Akram

Wasim Akram further stated that bowling to 360-degree batters like Suryakumar Yadav test the bowler's mindset. He claimed that one needs to cherish the challenge and be positive. He elaborated:

"So, I would have done this and that. I wouldn't have come and git hit for sixes. Maybe I would have been hit. No doubt, I would have been hit. But at least, I would have changed my plan. I would not have been predictable as a bowler. It depends on your mindset as a bowler. If you're already a little scared, maybe Sky will come. What will happen? Then you'll get hit. You should be looking forward to these kinds of challenges as a bowler. It's difficult.

"You can get hit. But I have to get him out. And only when you can get saved in T20, you'll have to gim him out. Especially in the last 5-6 overs. If you don't go for the out, if you go to save, then you'll have to get hit by the bowler. So, at that stage, mindset is very important. Never think.You shouldn't have negativity in your mind. Always be positive. Always go for the wicket," he concluded.