With India set to open their T20 World Cup 2021 campaign on Sunday, Wasim Akram lavished praise on Suryakumar Yadav for his batting skills and feels the Mumbai Indians (MI) cricketer could be crucial for his side in the tournament. Speaking on the Salaam Cricket show on Sports Tak, Akram said that Suryakumar could be India’s game-changer after the Powerplay overs and also felt that he has “improved as a cricketer”. “India have found a player in Suryakumar Yadav. I think he will change the game after those 6 overs in time to come. I have seen his shots. He was with me at KKR as well, now he has improved as a cricketer,” he said.

“He plays his shots, safe shots and doesn’t stop. So, he needs to go the way he has been playing in his career,” he further added.

Akram also pointed out Indian cricket’s improvement in recent years and credited it to the investment in first-class cricket.

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“I haven’t followed Indian cricket too keenly. I obviously watch the big games. The way they won the Test series in Australia and then their show in England. Indian cricket is on a high, no doubt. All of this is due to the investment towards first-class cricket, which is why so many young and promising players are coming through the ranks,” he said.

India open their campaign against Pakistan on Sunday at the Dubai International Stadium and will be hoping to seal a win. The Virat Kohli-led outfit played two warm-up games (England and Australia) and won both matches.