Suryakumar Yadav likely to play against Uganda in T20 exhibition match

Suryakumar Yadav would likely feature in a T20 exhibition match against the touring Uganda in Mumbai on Saturday (May 30). The two-time T20 World Cup winner and a Mumbai Indians batting mainstay, Suryakumar, could feature for Triumph Knights Mumbai North East against the African nation, which also featured during the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Americas.

Uganda is in India, touring Mumbai for four One-Day and as many T20 matches. The Uganda Cricket Cranes earlier swept away the MCA Colts 4-0 in the 50-over series. They will now switch to the T20 mode, facing four different teams from the T20 Mumbai League, beginning June 1.

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) secretary Unmesh Khanvilkar said that since SKY is part of the T20 squad, he could likely feature in the playing XI.

"He is a part of the team, so he is likely to play," the MCA secretary said as quoted by news agency PTI. "He is the Indian captain, and whenever he plays against any team, it is a morale-booster for any team, and it is going to be a good cricket experience.”

The MCA ground in Bandra Kurla Complex would likely host the T20 match between the Mumbai North East and Uganda.

How ICC chair Shah engineered this deal

The MCA president, Ajinkya Naik, revealed that the current ICC chairman, Jay Shah, engineered this deal in convincing Cricket Uganda to come and play exhibition matches in Mumbai.

"Under the leadership of Jay Shah, he had requested us to host the Uganda Cricket Team, and we thought it is a great privilege to host a national team here in Mumbai and for our Mumbai players to get an exposure against a national team," Naik said. "The Uganda team can come and play matches here, and whenever MCA needs to go and play in that country during our season or even when we have our off-season."

"The players who are playing for the senior team or even the Indian team, they have the exposure. But those who are in the second or third line — the bench strength of MCA — they need exposure. That's the reason why we are (also) travelling to the UK this year, both men's and women's teams, and this is an additional opportunity,” Naik added.

Meanwhile, Suryakumar last featured for the Mumbai Indians in the ongoing IPL 2026, scoring just 270 runs in 13 matches, with just two fifties and a strike rate in excess of 147.