While Yadav remained unbeaten on seven off two balls in the small chase, his role is expected to be pivotal in the high-stakes clash against Pakistan on September 14.
Looking ahead to the 2026 T20 World Cup, expectations from the 34-year-old right-hander are high. Yadav has had an excellent T20I record, though his batting form has seen fluctuations since taking over as captain. To provide perspective, here’s a comparison of Yadav and former West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran after 84 T20Is.
Runs and Average After 84 T20Is
Suryakumar Yadav: 2,605 runs at an average of 38.30. Notable performances include:
372 runs in 11 matches vs South Africa (avg 41.33)
349 runs in 13 matches vs England (avg 29.08)
290 runs in 9 matches vs Australia (avg 32.22)
284 runs in 8 matches vs New Zealand (avg 47.33)
Nicholas Pooran: 1,801 runs at an average of 26.48. Key stats:
592 runs in 20 matches vs India (avg 32.88)
374 runs in 13 matches vs England (avg 31.66)
214 runs in 7 matches vs Bangladesh (avg 53.50)
208 runs in 10 matches vs Pakistan (avg 29.71)
Strike Rate Comparison
Suryakumar Yadav: Strike rate 167.30
172.61 vs Australia, 171.92 vs England
153.51 vs New Zealand, 163.87 vs South Africa
Nicholas Pooran: Strike rate 134.80
118.18 vs Australia, 134.53 vs England
133.33 vs New Zealand, 136.53 vs South Africa
50-Plus Scores After 84 T20Is
Suryakumar Yadav: 25 scores of 50+ (4 centuries, 21 fifties)
Best: 117 off 55 balls vs England, 111* off 51 balls vs New Zealand
Other centuries: 100 vs South Africa, 112* vs Sri Lanka
Nicholas Pooran: 11 fifties, highest 82 off 45 balls vs England
Notable knocks: three consecutive 60+ scores vs India, 62* off 33 balls vs Pakistan
Performance in Wins
Suryakumar Yadav:
64 matches India won: 1,968 runs at 41 avg, SR 174.31, 3 hundreds, 17 fifties
18 matches India lost: 616 runs at 34.22 avg, 1 hundred, 4 fifties
Nicholas Pooran:
29 matches West Indies won: 741 runs at 37.05 avg, SR 140.87, 3 fifties
