Kohli, Suryakumar break Rahul and Dhoni’s incredible partnership record

Rahul and Dhoni’s illustrious partnership record is surpassed by Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav in the second Twenty20 international between India and South Africa.

At the Barsapara Cricket Stadium on Sunday, middle-order hitter Suryakumar Yadav and former Indian captain Virat Kohli guided Team India to a historic series victory against Temba Bavuma’s South Africa. Premier batsmen Suryakumar and Kohli played significant roles for the Rohit Sharma-led team as the hosts recorded a huge total in the 20-over match in Guwahati, turning the series-deciding match between Team India and the Proteas into a high-scoring duel.

Additionally, the batting pair of Kohli and Suryakumar shattered the incredible mark for partnerships in the shortest edition of the game, which was previously held by MS Dhoni and KL Rahul. Star batsman Suryakumar and an effective Kohli paired up in the second T20I, setting a Guwahati record-breaking 100-run partnership. Kohli and Suryakumar produced Team India’s fastest 100-plus run partnership in the game’s shortest format (measured by run rate).

The top two batters in the second Twenty20 International between South Africa and India had an astounding run rate of 14.57 as they amassed 102 runs in 42 deliveries. Kohli and Suryakumar have outperformed Dhoni and Rahul, who teamed for a 107-run partnership in 49 balls (13.10 run rate) against the West Indies in 2016. In the shortest format, opener Rahul and captain Rohit Sharma struck 165 off 76 balls (13.02 run rate), which ranks as India’s third-fastest 100-plus century partnership.

In the high-stakes thriller in Guwahati, India’s star batsman Suryakumar struck 61 runs off 22 balls for the game’s highest total. As the former captain of India, Kohli led his team to 237-3 in 20 overs while scoring 49 runs off only 28 balls. In response, South Africa put up a fight, with David Miller (106*) and Quinton de Kock (69*) at the forefront, but eventually fell short by 16 runs. With the win in the second T20I, India has won the Proteas’ home series in the shortest format of the game for the first time.