New Delhi, Sep 16 (IANS) Former India Cricketer Mohammad Kaif praised India T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav for not losing focus despite noise on social media after the team’s winning run at the ongoing Asia Cup 2025.

Suryakumar is leading India at the Asia Cup this year, and the team is unbeaten so far in the tournament. Under his leadership, India beat the UAE by nine wickets in their campaign opener and followed it up with a thumping seven-wicket win against arch-rivals Pakistan next.

Praising Suryakumar’s leadership skills, Kaif wrote on X, “Suryakumar Yadav emerges as a true leader in this Asia Cup. Scoring winning runs in a high-pressure game, marshalling the bowlers intelligently, not losing focus despite social media noise. SKY is a complete captain.”

Suryakumar was named India’s full-time T20I captain after Rohit Sharma’s exit from the format. The Nagpur-born opening batter announced his T20I retirement after leading India to the T20 World Cup victory in June 2024.

Yadav played a fine knock against Pakistan on Sunday, scoring an unbeaten 47 off 37 deliveries. He scored the winning runs and finished off the 128-run chase with a six off the penultimate delivery of the 16th over.

Bowling first, the Indian bowlers put on a show, allowing their opponents to score a paltry 127/9 in their 20-over quota. Kuldeep Yadav was the pick of the bowlers as he registered figures of 3/18 in his four-over spell.

Indian openers Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma started off on a high before the Indian skipper took charge. Suryakumar played a composed knock as India crossed the finish line with ease.

With two wins from as many games, India now occupy the top spot in the Group A points table and have made their way into the Super Four stage. The top two sides from Group A and Group B will face each other in the Super Four round, as they vie for a spot in the final.

India are set to face Oman in their last group stage game on Friday, September 19, at the Zyed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

— IANS

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