Suryakumar Yadav Declares “India vs Pakistan Not a Rivalry Anymore” After Super Four Asia Cup Win

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India's comprehensive Super Four victory over Pakistan in the Asia Cup has dominated conversation for more than just the victory. India chased down 172 with aplomb to defeat Pakistan by six wickets. Still, the post-match limelight has solidly focused on captain Suryakumar Yadav's assertion that "India vs Pakistan is not a rivalry anymore."

The Comment

During the post-match media conference, asked if Pakistan had upped their game or if the India-Pakistan clash still had a traditional cutting-edge to it, Suryakumar Yadav was direct. He called on reporters and fans to reword the term ‘rivalry’ based on what he thinks is an uneven head-to-head record. He stated:

"According to me, if two teams are playing 15-20 matches, and if there’s a 7-all or someone is ahead 8-7, then it’s called playing good cricket, and it’s called rivalry. 13-0, 10-1, I don’t know what the stats are. But this is not a rivalry anymore."

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He brushed aside the notion that the close moments and spirited performances by Pakistan alone were enough to keep what the people term as the rivalry going, considering India's dominance in the recent matches.

He also mentioned that India has outclassed Pakistan in the most recent encounters (in T20 and other formats) so frequently that using the term 'rivalry' felt insincere to him.

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Match Highlights & Key Moments

While Yadav's remark will attract attention, the match itself had a few points of discussion:

Result: India chased the target of 172 with six wickets still to spare, completing the victory in 18.5 overs.

Abhishek Sharma & Shubman Gill: The opening duo contributed a 105-run partnership. Abhishek Sharma was the hero with 74 off 39 deliveries, while Gill added a quick 47 off 28.

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Pakistan's innings: They managed 171/5. Sahibzada Farhan scored 58, providing some initial resistance, and Faheem Ashraf attempted to provide a late thrust. But India's bowlers, Shivam Dube included, made breakthroughs at critical points.

On-field heat: There were instances of tension. Haris Rauf ruffled Abhishek Sharma in the beginning, and there were some verbal altercations. Umpires had to step in at times, particularly during the initial overs of India's run chase.

Suryakumar Yadav's performance: Surprisingly, Yadav had a poor show with the bat; he was caught early, off only 3 balls.

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Mishaps in the field: India lost as many as four catches, which might have turned the tide if Pakistan had capitalized on them. But India's depth and calmness stood the test.

Why the Statement Resonates

In the Asia Cup Super Four match held yesterday, India's six-wicket victory against Pakistan further solidified its recent supremacy in T20 matches. Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill, by way of brilliant batting performances and Haris Rauf's on-field tirade aside, the center of attention was Suryakumar Yadav's post-match comment: "This is not a rivalry anymore." 

Now, despite his early dismissal, Yadav's comment reinforced India's overall supremacy and negated the media-hyped hysteria. It signifies a new mindset that views a contest with Pakistan as an affirmation of supremacy rather than perpetuating the old rivalry.

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