Suryakumar Yadav blasted his second T20I century as India took on New Zealand at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui on November 20. SKY batted as if he were from another planet after Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan struggled and Shreyas Iyer trod on his stumps after looking good.

The big-hitting hundred of Suryakumar Yadav was one of his best performances. He used the full 360 degrees of the ground and painted every single corner of the Bay Oval with his innovative style. He scored his second T20I century in just 49 balls with 11 fours and 6 sixes. Let’s take a look at Suryakumar Yadav’s top five T20I innings.

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1. 111 from 51 balls against New Zealand in 2nd T20I – 20th November, 2022

The number one T20I batter scored his second T20I hundred, demonstrating why he is the best in this format. Everyone could enjoy and revel in his patented shots, such as the lofted extra-cover drive, the inside-out hit over extra-cover, the get inside the line and help it over fine-leg, the ramp, the sweeps off the spinners, and the cuts over backward point. At a strike rate of 217.65, he scored an unbeaten 111 with 11 fours and 7 sixes.

2. 68 from 40 balls vs South Africa in T20I World Cup – 30th October 2022, Perth

Perth’s surface offers steep rise and bounce with real pace and venom, mirroring the Proteas’ home conditions. India got off to a bad start, trailing at 49/5 after 9 overs and facing a below-par total and the threat of losing crucial points in the NRR. Suryakumar Yadav, fresh from a fantastic fifty against the Dutch, came out and nailed the South African bowlers all over the ground.

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3. 117 of 55 balls vs England – July 2022, Nottingham

Surya’s highest T20I score came against England, and it rewrote the mantra of limited overs cricket. In the third and final T20I, England smashed their way to a massive total of 215/7, and India needed their batters to step up and rise to the occasion. The top three were dismissed cheaply, and SKY was once again in the trenches in order to rebuild the innings in a massive chase. The next few overs saw a masterclass in T20 batting and the perfect innings in a run chase.

4. 76 from 44 balls vs West Indies – August 2022, Basseterre  

At the Basseterre, Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav walked onto the ground with a target of 165 to chase on a tricky surface. SKY was unconcerned when skipper Sharma walked off the field with a back injury. He turned a difficult chase into a quiet stroll, playing audacious strokes all over the field and striking at 170 while the other batters struggled to get started.

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5. 50 from 33 balls vs South Africa – September 2022, Thiruvananthapuram

India was playing South Africa at home after a successful series against Australia, with World Cup preparations in full swing. The first game was played on a surface that proved to be a minefield for batters, with the Proteas scoring only 106/8 after 20 overs.

As the batters struggled to score runs, India lost both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli cheaply. Suryakumar Yadav, ably assisted by vice-captain KL Rahul, emerged to defy all conventional logic once more. KL Rahul’s score at the end of the innings was 51 (56), and Surya’s was 50 (33).