India’s T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav was the apple of the eye of social media users on Saturday, February 2, when he scored a 49-ball 84 to rescue India from a precarious situation against USA and take
them to a respectable score of 161/9 in their opening game of the T20 World Cup.
It was Suryakumar who chose caution, anchoring India’s innings with an unbeaten 84 off 49 deliveries, laced with 10 boundaries and four sixes, even as wickets continued to tumble at the other end.
India were left shell-shocked at 77/6 in the 13th over as USA’s 37-year-old South Africa-born pacer Shadley van Schalkwyk (4/25) ripped through the batting, striking three times in a brutal sixth over to dismiss Ishan Kishan (20), Tilak Varma (25) and Shivam Dube (0).
“When the chips are down, you look to your leader. And Surya Kumar Yadav delivered like a true captain,” former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan tweeted on Saturday evening.
When the chips are down, you look to your leader. And Surya Kumar Yadav delivered like a true captain. What an innings. 👏
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) February 7, 2026
Rinku Singh (6) and Hardik Pandya (5) couldn’t stay with Suryakumar for long, while Axar Patel attempted to steady the innings but departed for 14.
“In an innings when it mattered the most, Suryakumar Yadav stood tall
Calm under pressure,” Irfan’s brother Yusuf Pathan tweeted.
In an innings when it mattered the most Suryakumar Yadav stood tall
Calm under pressure Now it’s time for the bowlers to step up and finish the job. #INDvUSA #T20WorldCup #Cricket— Yusuf Pathan (@iamyusufpathan) February 7, 2026
Van Schalkwyk finished with figures of 4-0-25-4 as India’s vaunted batting line-up, barring Suryakumar, endured a torrid outing and faced the real danger of being held to an under-par total.
“Suryakumar Yadav carried that innings almost on his own shoulders. Amazing,” former West Indies cricketer Ian Bishop tweeted.
Suryakumar Yadav carried that innings almost on his own shoulders. Amazing.
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) February 7, 2026
With the responsibility of rescuing India once again resting on his shoulders, Suryakumar dug in, farmed the strike and scarcely missed with the trademark shots that define his game.
