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After India's victory against New Zealand in the fourth T20I, captain Suryakumar Yadav, who recently became the third Indian to reach 3,000 T20I runs, reflected on overcoming a challenging phase of 23 innings without a half-century. He expressed confidence that his time would eventually arrive, despite the struggles.

In a significant boost ahead of the T20 World Cup set to begin in February, Yadav broke his slump by scoring three fifties in the series, earning the title of 'Player of the Series' with a total of 242 runs at an impressive average of 80.66 and a strike rate exceeding 196.

During the post-match presentation, Suryakumar shared, "This year has been long, and I've eagerly awaited moments like these. I maintained my routines and believed I was not out of form, just out of runs. It's a special feeling to enter the World Cup on this note."

He acknowledged the difficulties he faced, stating, "The sky wasn't blue for a year, but that's part of the journey. I took time to reassess my game and identify areas for improvement."

After a disappointing series against South Africa, where he managed only 34 runs in four matches, he spent two weeks with friends who provided him with valuable advice.

Suryakumar expressed optimism about the upcoming World Cup campaign, which kicks off against the USA on February 7 in Mumbai. He mentioned, "Before our warm-up match against South Africa, we will review our last five games and evaluate our overall performance to identify strengths and areas for growth."

He also commented on the resilience shown by the New Zealand team during their run chase, noting that it was expected for opponents to challenge them fiercely.

In the match, India won the toss and opted to bat first. Despite early wickets, a remarkable partnership of 137 runs between Ishan Kishan (103 off 43 balls) and Suryakumar Yadav (63 off 30 balls) propelled India to a total of 271/5 in 20 overs. Hardik Pandya contributed with a quick 42 runs off 17 balls.

For New Zealand, Lockie Ferguson was the standout bowler with figures of 2/41, while the rest of the bowling unit struggled to contain runs.

In response, New Zealand faced early setbacks but a strong partnership between Allen (80 off 38 balls) and Rachin Ravindra (30 off 17 balls) posed a threat. However, Arshdeep Singh (5/51) and Axar Patel (3/33) dismantled the Kiwi batting order, leading to their collapse at 225 runs.