Suryakumar Yadav, India's new T20I captain, has matched Virat Kohli's record for the most Man of the Match awards in T20 internationals.
Suryakumar achieved this feat in just 69 matches, while Kohli took 125 matches to reach the same milestone. This shows Suryakumar's rapid rise in the shortest format of the game.
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Suryakumar now has 16 Man of the Match awards, the same as Virat Kohli. He reached this milestone with a stellar performance against Sri Lanka, scoring 58 runs off 26 balls and leading India to a 43-run victory.
Let's take a look at the most Man of the Match award winners in T20Is.
Most Man of the Match award winners in T20Is
1. Suryakumar Yadav (India) - 16 (in 69 matches)
2. Virat Kohli (India) - 16 (in 125 matches)
3. Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe) - 15 (in 91 matches)
4. Mohammad Nabi (Afghanistan) - 14 (in 129 matches)
5. Rohit Sharma (India) - 14 (in 159 matches)
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What did Suryakumar Yadav say post the 1st T20I match against Sri Lanka?
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Suryakumar praised the Sri Lankan team for their effort.
"They were playing a good brand of cricket from ball one. They were keeping the tempo, credit goes to them. We know how the wicket plays in the night. We were fortunate that there was no dew. The way we played in the World Cup, that reminded us that the game was still too far. Whatever works for the team, we'll take the call," Suryakumar said in the post-match presentation.
Can Suryakumar Yadav surpass Virat Kohli?
With Suryakumar's current form, it seems almost certain that he can surpass Kohli's record. His ability to score runs quickly and his leadership qualities make him a permanent fixture in India's T20I setup and the likelihood of him winning more MoTM awards are high.
As the T20I series progresses, all eyes will be on Suryakumar to see if he can set a new benchmark in T20 cricket.