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SPORTS FEBRUARY 03, 2023 | The Indian Eye 36

Suryakumar, Siraj and Gill

shine as India beat NZ 3-0

in ODI series

Suryakumar Yadav hit a stunning 68 sixes during the year, easily the most recorded by

anyone in a year in the format’s history

OUR BUREAU

Dubai/Indore
ndia’s star batter Suryakumar
Yadav claimed the ICC Men’s
IT20I Cricketer of the Year award
with his outrageous and standout
performances in 2022, International
Cricket Council (ICC) announced on
Wednesday.
Suryakumar had a stunning year
with the bat breaking an array of re-
cords and setting a benchmark like
never before in the format. He be-
came just the second batter to make
more than 1000 runs in a calendar
year in T20Is and ended the year as
the highest run-getter, scoring 1164
runs at a ridiculous strike rate of
187.43.
Suryakumar has amassed 1164
runs in 31 matches at an average of
46.56 and a strike rate of 187.43.
Suryakumar hit a stunning 68
sixes during the year, easily the
most recorded by anyone in a year
in the format’s history. The Indian,
who scored two hundred and nine
half-centuries, served as his team’s
primary hitter throughout the year. Suryakumar Yadav in action (ANI)

At the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Yadav also attained a career-high Siraj claims top spot in ICC and the accolades have started to pile

2022 in Australia, Yadav was 890 rating points to take the top spot in for the underrated 28-year-old.
in the ICC Men’s T20I Player Rank- rankings On Tuesday, Siraj was named in
at the top of his game, scoring ings. the ICC Men’s ODI Team of the Year
Yadav put up quite a few mem-
three fifties in six innings and orable performances throughout the ndia’s pace sensation Mohammed while Wednesday brought in more joy
for the pacer as he went past Boult
Siraj has capped off a superb 12
averaging close to 60. Nota- year. But maybe his best performance Imonths by claiming the No 1 spot and Australia seamer Josh Hazle-
bly, his strike rate was 189.68, came in Nottingham, where he made on the ICC Men’s ODI Player Rank- wood to become the top-ranked ODI
his first T20I hundred, a remarkable
ings for bowlers from New Zealand
bowler for the very first time.
which was again very high. 117 off 55 balls, against one of the best seamer Trent Boult. Not only has Siraj’s form over the
white-ball teams currently, England. It has been a meteoric rise for Sir- last 12 months been imperious, but his
After the World Cup tourna- Yadav raised India from 31/3 in aj, who only returned to India’s ODI efforts in the ODI series at home ear-
ment, Suryakumar maintained his a run chase of 216 to lift India, giving setup in February last year following lier this month against Sri Lanka and
outstanding year by scoring his sec- the visitors a chance to knock down a three-year hiatus without playing New Zealand have shown how much
ond century in the T20Is of the year the target. Although he was dismissed, a 50-over match at the international the right-arm pacer has improved in
in the bilateral series in New Zealand. India was still within striking distance level. Since then, Siraj has scalped 37 recent times.
He had already scored a century ear- of a stunning triumph that would have wickets from 20 matches to be one of India bowling coach Paras
Continued at next page... >>
lier in the year. made them renowned. India’s most consistent fast bowlers Continued at next page... >>

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