Picking up where he left off from his breathtaking year in 2022, the man known as SKY rocketed to a remarkable century in Rajkot, bringing up his hundred off just 45 deliveries.
And the 32-year-old’s extraordinary contribution helped India post what proved to be an insurmountable first-innings total of 228/5 in the third and deciding match of the series.
SKY finished unbeaten on 112* off just 51 deliveries, smashing nine sixes and seven fours in his match-winning knock, the second-fastest ton in men’s T20Is by an Indian batter following Rohit Sharma’s 35-ball effort against the same opposition country back in 2017.
"He has been surprising everyone and making everyone know that batting is very easy," India's captain Hardik Pandya said of his star player after the match.
"If I am a bowler, I will be disheartened with the shots he plays. He has played blinder after blinder."
The middle-order batter’s century was his third in the international format in just seven months, making him the first player in the history of the game to score three T20I centuries when not opening the batting.
“I'm really happy with the way the innings went,” Yadav said in a typically understated interview at the midway point of the match.
“A few of my shots are pre-determined, but these are the shots I've been playing over the last year and I'm not doing anything different.
“So nothing new. It’s a fresh start in 2023 and I hope to continue doing well.”
If SKY’s 2023 comes close to matching his efforts in the previous calendar year then the world is set for some game-changing and must-watch performances.
Source: https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/3013010
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