Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

I mastered scoop shot while playing rubber-ball cricket: Suryakumar

“When I go into bat, I just try and look for a few boundaries or even if I don’t get that, I just try and run as hard as possible between wickets.”

I mastered scoop shot while playing rubber-ball cricket: Suryakumar

Suryakumar Yadav's outrageous scoop shot off Zimbabwe pacer Richard Ngarava became a talking point in the T20 World Cup and the attacking Indian batter says he achieved mastery over the unorthodox stroke after years of practice with a rubber ball

Suryakumar mesmerised the 82,000-strong MCG crowd with his stroke-making ability on Sunday. His unbeaten 61-run knockoff in just 25 balls powered India to an imposing 186 for 5.


The 32-year-old struck four sixes and six boundaries during that breathtaking knock

One shot that stood out was from the last ball of the Zimbabwe innings. Going down on one knee, Suryakumar picked up a Richard Ngarava full toss from outside the off stump and scooped it on the right of fine leg for an unthinkable six

The audacious shot became an instant hit with the likes of Ravi Shastri and legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar lauding it

"You got to understand what the bowler is going to bowl at that time, which is a little pre-determined at that moment. I have practised that stroke a lot when I used to play rubber-ball cricket," Suryakumar, the world number one T20 batter, said on Star Sports show 'Follow the Blues'

"So, you got to be thinking what the bowler is thinking at that time and if the field is in, I just back myself to go there. You got to know how long the boundary behind is. When I stand there, I feel it's just 60-65 meters and with the pace of the ball I just try and time it, take it on the sweet spot of the bat and if it hits, it just goes out there."

While scoring his half-century, Suryakumar went past 1000 runs in T20 Internationals in 2022.

The 32-year-old is the first Indian to achieve the feat and only the second player to do so. Pakistan opener Mohammad Rizwan finished with 1326 runs last year.

Suryakumar also spoke about how he handles pressure situations.

"When I go into bat, I just try and look for a few boundaries or even if I don't get that, I just try and run as hard as possible between wickets. If you have to bat with Virat Bhai then you have to run hard as well.

"I try and do that, hit it in the gaps and run hard. But I know what strokes I need to play at that time. I try and play a lot of percentage cricket. My strokes are sweeps, overcover, and cuts, if I am succeeding in that, I just take the game ahead from there."

(PTI)

More For You

Brothers deny assaulting police during Manchester Airport brawl

Photo for representation. (iStock)

Brothers deny assaulting police during Manchester Airport brawl

TWO brothers accused of assaulting a man inside a Starbucks and later attacking police officers at Manchester Airport are standing trial, with the prosecution arguing they used "unlawful and extreme violence".

Mohammed Fahir Amaaz, 20, and his older brother Muhammad Amaad, 26, both from Rochdale, are said to have acted aggressively on July 23 last year while at the airport to pick up their mother, who had arrived on a flight from Qatar.

Keep ReadingShow less
Court to review teen's sentence in Bhim Kohli case
Bhim Kohli

Court to review teen's sentence in Bhim Kohli case

THE seven-year prison sentence handed to a 15-year-old boy convicted of the manslaughter of 80-year-old Bhim Sen Kohli is to be reviewed under the UK’s Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme.

The Attorney General’s Office confirmed on Friday (5) that the teenager’s sentence will now be considered by the Court of Appeal.

Keep ReadingShow less
Dalai Lama hopes to live 'beyond 130 years'

Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama attends a prayer meet held for his long life at the Dalai Lama temple in the northern hill town of Dharamshala, India, July 5, 2025. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis

Dalai Lama hopes to live 'beyond 130 years'

THE Dalai Lama said on Saturday (5) he hopes to live until he is more than 130 years old, two decades longer than his previous prediction, following his assurance to followers that he would reincarnate as the spiritual head of the faith upon his death.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner was speaking during a ceremony organised by his followers to offer prayers for his long life, ahead of his 90th birthday on Sunday (6), and as China insists it will choose his successor. The Dalai Lama told Reuters in December he might live to 110.

Keep ReadingShow less
UK heatwave by mid-July

Daytime temperatures meeting or exceeding set thresholds of 25°C

iStock

Met Office warns of potential third UK heatwave by mid-July

Key points

  • Met Office forecasts rising temperatures by mid-July
  • Possible third heatwave after record-breaking June
  • High pressure system likely to bring hot air from the Atlantic
  • Yellow rain warning and flood alerts issued in parts of Scotland and Cumbria

Possible heatwave to return by mid-July

The UK could experience its third heatwave in a month by mid-July, the Met Office has said. Forecasters expect rising heat and humidity during the second weekend of July, following two weekends of unusually warm weather in late June.

June was officially the hottest on record in England, and the return of high temperatures could mean another heatwave for parts of the country. However, the Met Office cautioned that it is too early to confirm how hot conditions will get.

Keep ReadingShow less
crypto

Two men have been jailed for defrauding investors of £1.5 million through a fake crypto investment scheme. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Two jailed over £1.5m crypto investment scam

TWO people who duped investors of £1.5 million by selling fake investments in crypto have been jailed for 12 years, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said.

Raymondip Bedi, of Bromley, and Patrick Mavanga, of Peckham, conned at least 65 people by cold-calling them between February 2017 and June 2019. They operated companies including CCX Capital and Astaria Group LLP.

Keep ReadingShow less