Suryakumar: India vs Pakistan isn't a rivalry anymore

Suryakumar Yadav has dismissed the notion that an India vs Pakistan clash is a rivalry anymore. He was responding to a question on whether Pakistan raised their standards on Sunday night compared to their opening bout last week - which they lost by seven wickets, with 25 balls to spare.

"I would like to say one thing on this question. I feel that you should stop asking this question on the rivalry," he said, before being reminded the question wasn't about rivalry at all.

For the record, India have now beaten Pakistan in seven straight games [in men's internationals alone] since their previous loss to them at the Asia Cup in 2022 in Dubai.

"Standards and rivalry are the same," he continued. "According to me, if two teams play 15-20 matches and if [head-to-head] it is 7-7 or 8-7, then that is called a rivalry. But 13-0, 10-1….I don't know what the stats are. But this is not a rivalry anymore. But yeah, I feel we played better cricket than them."

Prior to being asked about his take on the "rivalry", Suryakumar highlighted what he felt was the game's decisive phase - the halfway mark of Pakistan's innings - with Pakistan 91 for 1 in ten overs, by far their highest half-time score in T20Is against India.

It's at this point that Suryakumar rallied his team around as the umpires called for a drinks interval. Post that, India managed to put the brakes on Pakistan with the next seven overs producing just 38 - the lowest tally for teams that have batted between overs 10-17 at this tournament.

"According to me, the turning point was in the first drinks in the first innings," Suryakumar said. "People changed their body language after that. You always see the game changes generally after the powerplay.

"But today, the game changed after ten overs, when the bowlers changed their line and lengths, understood what was needed in that situation, and showed a little more energy. The spinners bowled well. And according to me, Shivam Dube's spell, you can say that it was a turning point."

This was only the third time in 38-match T20I career so far that Dube has bowled his full quota of overs. Dube's spell helped make up for Jasprit Bumrah having an off-day. After conceding 34 off his three overs - his most expensive powerplay spell - Bumrah finished with figures of 4-0-45-0.

It's around Bumrah's spell that Dube made big breakthroughs to finish with 2 for 33, including the wickets of Saim Ayub and Sahibzada Farhan. Ayub's wicket was crucial as it helped break a flourishing 72-run stand for the second wicket, off just 48 balls. Then in the 15th, he dismissed half-centurion Farhan with an off-cutter that he skewed to mid-off.

"I think he has been working really hard on his bowling in all the practice sessions," Suryakumar said of Dube. "And this was the perfect game where he got an opportunity. He always wanted to bowl at least two overs. And today he got to bowl his quota of overs, so he was very happy. And the way he delivered, I think he had very clear plans.

"I mean, I am only batting in the nets when he bowls a lot. He bowls to all the proper batters. Sometimes bowls with the new ball. So his preparations are always on point. And whenever he gets an opportunity like this, like today, I think he will always be ready to deliver for the team."