Swashbuckling India batter Suryakumar Yadav (SKY) sparked a meme wave on Saturday after he scripted two massive world records in the third T20I against Sri Lanka.

Surya took the Sri Lankan bowling apart in a masterful exhibition of 360-degree batting at the Saurashtra Cricket Association (SCA) Stadium.

Showing why he's ranked No.1 in T20I cricket, Suryakumar Yadav, or SKY as he's fondly called, slammed an unbeaten 112 off 51 balls, including 9 sixes and 7 boundaries to power India to a mammoth total of 228/5.

It was the middle-order batter's third ton in T20Is in only seven months since he struck his maiden hundred against England in July. With his century against Sri Lanka, Suryakumar Yadav became the first non-opener in the history of T20Is to hit three hundreds.

In the process, SKY also became the quickest to complete 1,500 runs in the shortest format of the sport.

In 45 T20Is so far, the 32-year-old cricketer has made 1,578 runs with a highly impressive average of 46.41 and a stunning strike rate of 180.34. During his brief career for India, Suryakumar Yadav has already smashed three centuries and 13 fifties.

Suryakumar Yadav is now only behind Rohit Sharma as far as centuries in T20Is are concerned as he went past KL Rahul after his stunning unbeaten innings against the Dasun Shanaka-led team.

SKY's ton against the islanders was the second-fastest ton scored by an Indian in T20Is. While Suryakumar Yadav reached his hundred in 45 balls, KL Rahul took 46 deliveries to complete his century against West Indies in 2016.

Rohit Sharma, on the other hand, remains the record holder, scoring a ton in only 35 balls against the Lankan Lions in 2017.

List of Indians with the most hundreds in T20Is:

Rohit Sharma – 4
Suryakumar Yadav – 3
KL Rahul – 2
Virat Kohli – 1

Thanks to Suryakumar Yadav, the Men in Blue ended up winning the contest by 91 as the Sri Lankans were bowled out for just 137. With their comprehensive victory at SCA ground, India won the series 2-1 and maintained their 100 percent record in home bilaterals.

Suryakumar Yadav's innings was also hailed by netizens on social media, many of whom posted memes and jokes to describe his sensational knock against Sri Lanka.

https://twitter.com/Sainiachal8858/status/1611941993026060289

 

After the match, SKY revealed he was enjoying his batting, adding that it was a fresh start for him in 2023 after his heroics the previous year.

“I'm really happy with the way the innings went. The captain winning the toss and batting first showed faith in the batters, few shots are pre-determined, but these are the shots I've been playing over the last year and I'm not doing anything different,” Suryakumar Yadav told Star Sports, the official broadcaster of India's series against Sri Lanka.

“The 2022 form is gone, it's a fresh start in 2023 and I hope to continue doing well. It's a good pitch, nice bounce and a lush outfield,” Suryakumar Yadav added.

“It is really important to put pressure on yourself when you are preparing for the game. The more pressure you put, the better you can play. There is a lot of hard work involved. Some quality practice sessions are also involved. The boundaries behind were 59-60m, so I tried to clear them. There are a few shots that are pre-determined but you have to be ready for other strokes as well. Most of the time, I try to find the gap, and use the field to my advantage, Dravid lets me enjoy, and tells me to express myself,” SKY explained.

Meanwhile, India captain Hardik Pandya made stunning remarks following Suryakumar Yadav's extraordinary ton in Rajkot.

“I think he has been surprising everyone every innings that he is batting. He is just telling us that batting is so easy. If I were bowling to him, I'd be disheartened on seeing his batting, with the shot he plays. He has played blinders after blinders,” Hardik Pandya said.

Former India opener Aakash Chopra went gaga about Suryakumar Yadav's knock and went as far as to say that the India batter appeared to be from a different planet.

“It seems like it is Suryakumar Yadav's world, and you and I are living in it. He has struck his third T20I century. Who did he not hit and from where all have praises not come? When he plays, it is wonderful, incredible, amazing and unparalleled, and makes the match one-sided,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

“Suryakumar Yadav is playing differently. There are purple patches, this is the deepest shade of purple. Who struck the first century for India in 2023 – Suryakumar Yadav. He has struck three centuries,” Aakash Chopra added.

“Rohit Sharma, with four hundreds, has scored the most T20I centuries in India's cricket history and has played a lot more cricket than him. He opens and Surya does it while batting down the order. He will make the fourth as well, he is not too far,” he concluded.