Dubai, Sept 22: India captain Suryakumar Yadav, while speaking after India’s emphatic Asia Cup Super Fours win over Pakistan, gently sought to steer the conversation away from the well-worn theme of an India–Pakistan “rivalry”.
Responding to a question on whether Pakistan had raised their standards compared to last week’s heavy defeat, Suryakumar said, “I would like to say one thing on this question. I feel that you should stop asking this question on the rivalry.”
He went on to explain that a contest becomes a rivalry only when the results are even. “If two teams play 15-20 matches and if it’s 7-7 or 8-7, then that is a rivalry. But 13-0, 10-1… I don’t know the stats. This is not a rivalry anymore. We played better cricket than them,” he remarked.
India have now beaten Pakistan seven times in a row in men’s internationals since their Asia Cup loss in Dubai in 2022.
Highlighting the game’s turning point, Suryakumar said the momentum shifted at the halfway mark of Pakistan’s innings. At 91 for 1 in ten overs, Pakistan were well placed before the drinks break, but India restricted them to just 38 runs in the next seven overs.
“People changed their body language after that. The bowlers adjusted their lines and lengths and showed energy. According to me, Shivam Dube’s spell was a turning point,” he said.
Dube bowled his full quota for only the third time in T20Is, returning 2 for 33, including key wickets of Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan, to make up for Jasprit Bumrah’s off day. India’s openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill earlier powered the chase with a rapid 100-run stand in 8.4 overs as India coasted to victory.