Twitter reactions: Centurion Suyakumar Yadav propels India to dominating win over New Zealand

Team India defeated New Zealand in the second T20I to take the 1-0 lead in the ongoing three-match series at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui on Sunday.

Suryakumar Yadav was the hero for the Men in Blue as he helped India post 191/6 on the board in their allotted 20 overs with a stunning century. Suryakumar slammed 11 fours and seven sixes during his unbeaten 111-run knock. It was Surya’s second hundred in the shortest format and first against the Black Caps.

Interestingly, in a sensational exhibition of creative and fearless T20 hitting, Suryakumar guided India to collect 72 runs off the last five overs, despite not facing a single delivery in the final over, where New Zealand pacer Tim Southee got a hat-trick.

In response, the hosts had a terrible start, losing explosive opener Finn Allen for a 2-ball duck in the first over by experience campaigner Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Devon Conway (25) and Kane Williamson (61) then added 56 runs for the second wicket.

But the dismissal of Conway opened the floodgates as New Zealand kept losing wickets from thereon to eventually get bundled out for 126, losing the contest by 56 runs. Mohammad Siraj (2/24) and Yuzvendra Chahal (2/26) picked up two wickets each, while Deepak Hooda ended up bagging a four-wicket haul for just 10 runs in 2.5 overs.

Here is how Twitter reacted:

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India take a 1-0 lead in the series. Focus shifts to the third and final T20I and levelling the series on Tuesday at McLean Park 🏏 Scores https://t.co/j8v6VuL9HN #NZvIND #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/nE3jChqw6E

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) November 20, 2022

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Important to start with a win 🇮🇳 Well done to the entire team! That was special @surya_14kumar 👌🤙 pic.twitter.com/9EUgiZJ4wp

— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) November 20, 2022

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SKY is the standard.#NZvsIND #T20Cricket #T20I #T20batting

— Mpumelelo Mbangwa (@mmbangwa) November 20, 2022

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“Surya ugavla Nahi tar” or ‘what if the sun doesn’t rise tomorrow’ is a Marathi lesson I recall from school. Could well be the story of India in T20I cricket. When Surya rises, they soar and when he doesn’t, well… #NZvIND #SuryakumarYadav

— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) November 20, 2022

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Wet ball but Chahal was excellent today.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) November 20, 2022

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Suryakumar Yadav has 9 man of the match awards from just 39 innings in T20I.

The best in the world currently.

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 20, 2022

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India beat New Zealand by 65 runs and take 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series.
Scorecard: https://t.co/0Zq7Dbmw0u#NZvIND #2ndT20I pic.twitter.com/bCjlKjN5jF

— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) November 20, 2022

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Last three T20I hat-tricks
Karthik Meiyappan🇦🇪 v SL
Josh Little☘️ v NZ
Tim Southee🇳🇿 v IND

All their teams lost by 35+ runs.#NZvIND

— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) November 20, 2022

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#PapaPandya‘s dream debut in New Zealand as #T20I captain 🙌😍#NZvIND #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/7oSoqJcyMM

— Gujarat Titans (@gujarat_titans) November 20, 2022

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A terrific 💯 from SKY followed by an impressive bowling performance from the likes of Chahal and Hooda gives #TeamIndia a thumping 6️⃣5️⃣-run win 🤩

🇮🇳 1️⃣-0️⃣ 🇳🇿#NZvIND pic.twitter.com/ZNibAXzhIe

— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) November 20, 2022