"This is unbelievable" - Rishabh Pant in awe of Suryakumar Yadav's breathtaking ton in second T20I against New Zealand

Team India batter Suryakumar Yadav continues to set new standards when it comes to T20I batting. He has now scored his second century in the format. The Mumbai-born player scored an unbeaten 111 off 51 deliveries in the second T20I against New Zealand on Sunday, November 20.

The right-handed batter's knock consisted of 11 fours and seven sixes at Mount Maunganui. He came to bat at No. 3 in the final over of the powerplay after Rishabh Pant's dismissal. The in-form player started from where he left off and started scoring freely instantly.

On the back of a prolific T20 World Cup in 2022, Suryakumar Yadav took on the bowlers and forged partnerships with the batters around him. With other players struggling to find their touch, he took the initiative and brought up his fifty in quick time.

He ramped up his scoring and exploded in the final overs to bring up his second T20I century, with his maiden three-figure outing coming in the third T20I against England at Old Trafford in July 2022.

Wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant was in awe of the exceptional innings and lauded Suryakumar Yadav as he was being interviewed during the mid-innings break. Pant addressed the knock as 'unbelievable' while sharing a hug with the No. 1 ranked T20I batter.

Watch the video right here:

Rishabh Pant & Suryakumar Yadav ♡

these boys 🥺🔥 https://t.co/dUUoTG18Xp

Team India posted a commanding 191-6 on the board after losing the toss. The Men in Blue are on the lookout to secure their ninth successive T20I win over the BlackCaps.

"It was important to maximize the last few overs" - Suryakumar Yadav

Suryakumar Yadav was Team India's chief architect of destruction, as 62 runs were scored off the last four overs of the innings. He was prolific across all areas of the ground, making it difficult for the bowlers to set fields or decide on their areas.

Sensational SKY! 🎆
His 2⃣nd T20I 💯 👏 👏
This is a stunning knock 👌 👌
Follow the match ▶️ bit.ly/NZvIND-2NDT20I
#TeamIndia | #NZvIND https://t.co/XunZedIB9e

Following the mind-boggling inning, Suryakumar Yadav said in the mid-innings interview on Prime Sports:

"In T20, a hundred is always special but at the same time, it was really important for me to bat till the very end. Hardik was telling me to bat till the 18th or 19th over, and get to a score of 185 or so."

He continued:

"After the end of the 16th over, we had a chat about taking it deep. It was important to maximize the last few overs. Have been doing the same things over and over again, in the nets and it's just coming off for me."

The ace batter's effort has put Team India in a great position at the halfway mark of the contest. The Men in Blue have struck early while defending the score, with Bhuvneshwar Kumar claiming the wicket of Finn Allen in the first over itself.

Will Suryakumar Yadav go down in the history books as one of the greatest batters in T20 cricket? Let us know what you think.