SYDNEY: On the eve of the ICC T20 World Cup semifinal match against New Zealand at the SCG, Pakistan coach Matthew Hayden was all praise for India middle-order batter and No. 1 on the ICC T20 rankings Suryakumar Yadav, saying the cricketer's "access shots, innovation, and access" were simply superb and comparable with the best in the business.

When asked if subcontinent batters were at a disadvantage in the shortest format, Hayden cited Suryakumar's example of being a complete T20 batter. T20 cricket is quickly becoming a power-hitters' game, and players from Australia, England, and the West Indies are supposedly having an advantage when it comes to crossing the boundary ropes.

"Because there is a mixture, the power game in T20 cricket is still being explored. And this tournament has demonstrably demonstrated that... you are at the mercy of the game's momentum, therefore it doesn't really matter how powerful you are. So, a challenging equilibrium is currently being realised. When you take a look at the tournament thus far, I believe that sub-continental players, particularly players like Suryakumar Yadav, who are playing superbly in that middle to late stage, become threats due to their skill in all areas of the court, access to shots, innovation, and access. So, power isn't always the deciding factor. And as I previously stated, I believe that as cricketers, we are all trying to understand when to exert power, when to place the foot on the ground, and when to slow down and attempt to conserve, according to Hayden, a former Australia opener.

He said, exploration and creativity are more important to success than T20 cricket's power game, as evidenced by teams like Australia, the West Indies, and South Africa's early elimination.

"Many of the games have been extremely close games. And I believe that a large portion of the teams still competing in this event are still there because to the difficult trade-off between wicket preservation and innovation discovery. A prime example of such is Australia. Burning power yet unable to manage the new ball. And through the middle of the order, it allowed itself to be vulnerable," Hayden added.

Hayden shared his opinion that a cricketer's career will always have "major times of ups and downs" in reference to Pakistan's Babar Azam's troubles at the top of the batting order. He also voiced his belief that the captain's experience with adversity will make him a stronger player.

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