NZ Vs IND: Suryakumar Yadav Breaks Virat Kohli’s Record For Most Player Of The Match Awards By An Indian In T20Is

Suryakumar Yadav broke Virat Kohli’s record for most Player of the Match awards by an Indian in T20Is, thanks to his scintillating century in the second T20I between New Zealand and India which was played at Mount Maunganui’s Bay Oval ground on November 20, 2022.

Suryakumar hammered his second T20I career century and second in 2022 as he scored 111* in 51 balls with 11 fours and 7 sixes after India was asked to bat first in the match by New Zealand captain Kane Williamson who won the toss.

He hammered both spinners and pacers to all parts of the Tauranga ground and gave the crowd the worth of their ticket money with exemplary strokeplay.  This was his second T20I ton, with both coming in 2022, as his first century had come against England in Nottingham in July.

India finished their 20 overs for 191/6. Meanwhile, for New Zealand, Tim Southee picked up a hat-trick in the last over of the Indian innings, his second of his career in T20Is.

In reply, Deepak Hooda picked 4/10, Mohammed Siraj 2/24, and Yuzvendra Chahal picked 2/26 as New Zealand folded for 126 with only Kane Williamson providing some resistance with a knock of 61 runs.

Suryakumar Yadav Leaves Virat Kohli Behind And Equals Sikandar Raza’s Record Of Most Player Of The Match Awards In T20Is

Thanks to his scintillating century, Suryakumar Yadav was named the Player of the Match, which was his seventh such award in T20I cricket. This meant that he surpassed Virat Kohli’s record of 6 Player of the Match awards in T20Is and equaled the record of Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza, who also has 7 such awards to his name.

Former Indian skipper Kohli and Uganda’s Dinesh Nakrani have been awarded the special honor on 6 occasions in T20Is.

Apart from this, scoring the match-winning century in the 2nd T20I on Sunday, Suryakumar also matched Rohit Sharma’s feat of notching up two centuries in the shortest format in the same year. Rohit achieved the feat in 2018, making him the first Indian batter to do so.

Also Read: IND vs NZ: “Aa Raha Hai, Wo Bhi Aa Raha Hai”- Suryakumar Yadav On Test Call Up