Suryakumar Yadav: 'India vs Pakistan isn't a rivalry anymore'
India captain Suryakumar Yadav made a bold statement after his team’s commanding six-wicket win over Pakistan in the Asia Cup Super Fours clash, suggesting that the once-iconic India-Pakistan rivalry has lost its competitive edge.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Suryakumar dismissed the idea of a "rivalry" altogether. “I feel you should stop asking this question on the rivalry,” he said, even though the query was not directly about the rivalry. He later clarified, “If two teams play 15-20 matches and the record is 7-7 or 8-7, then that’s a rivalry. But 13-0, 10-1… I don’t know the stats exactly, but this is not a rivalry anymore. We are just playing better cricket than them.”
India’s victory extended their winning streak against Pakistan in men’s internationals to seven straight matches, with their last defeat coming in the 2022 Asia Cup.
Dube's Spell the Turning Point
While Abhishek Sharma’s blistering 74 and the 105-run opening stand with Shubman Gill dominated the headlines, Suryakumar pointed to a key moment in the first half of the game that, in his eyes, turned the tide.
"According to me, the turning point was at the first drinks break in the first innings," he said. “At 91 for 1 after 10 overs, Pakistan were flying. But after drinks, our bowlers changed their line and lengths, showed better energy, and took control.”
India’s bowlers choked Pakistan in the middle overs, conceding just 38 runs between overs 10 and 17—the lowest in that phase for any team in this tournament.
Leading that charge was allrounder Shivam Dube, whose 4-over spell yielded 2 for 33. Dube’s wickets of Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan—who had built a dangerous 72-run partnership—helped halt Pakistan’s momentum. This was only the third time in his T20I career that Dube bowled his full quota of overs.
“I think he has been working really hard on his bowling in all the practice sessions,” Suryakumar said. “This was the perfect game for him. He always wanted to bowl at least two overs, and today he got to bowl four. He had very clear plans and executed them perfectly.”
Bumrah's Off Day, Team Steps Up
Despite a rare off day for Jasprit Bumrah—who conceded 45 runs in his four overs without a wicket—India’s bowlers kept Pakistan in check, showcasing the depth in the squad.
“Bumrah’s not a robot,” Suryakumar said. “He’s allowed to have a bad day. What matters is how the team responds, and today Shivam stepped up exactly when we needed him to.”
No Complacency Despite Dominance
India’s commanding display with both bat and ball has all but sealed their place in the Asia Cup final. But Suryakumar emphasized the importance of staying grounded.
“The boys are showing character in every match. We’re not taking anything for granted. We want to keep building on this momentum,” he said.
With this win, India remain unbeaten in the tournament, and with key players like Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Shivam Dube hitting top gear, they look poised to go all the way.