Defending champions India kicked off their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a hard-fought 29-run victory over the United States at the Wankhede Stadium, thanks to a captain’s knock from Suryakumar Yadav and disciplined bowling in the death overs.
Electing to bowl first, the USA produced a sensational powerplay. Ali Khan struck with the second ball, dismissing Abhishek Sharma for a golden duck. Shadley van Schalkwyk then turned the game on its head, claiming Ishan Kishan (20 off 16), Tilak Varma (25 off 16) and Shivam Dube (0) in the final over of the powerplay, leaving India reeling at 46/4.
Suryakumar Yadav and Rinku Singh steadied the innings with a 26-run stand before Mohammad Mohsin removed Rinku for a laboured 6 off 14 balls. Hardik Pandya fell cheaply for 5, caught at deep cover off Harmeet Singh, as India slumped to 77/6 in the 13th over.
Axar Patel joined his captain and the pair added a crucial 41 runs, the highest partnership of the innings, to push India past 100. Harmeet Singh returned to dismiss Axar (14 off 11) in the 17th over. Suryakumar brought up a 36-ball fifty in the 18th over as India reached 128/7.
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Shadley van Schalkwyk claimed his fourth wicket in the 19th over, removing Arshdeep Singh (4), leaving India 140/8. In a blistering final over, Suryakumar smashed 21 runs off Saurabh Netravalkar, including two sixes and a four, to lift India to 161/9. He remained unbeaten on 84 off 49 balls (10 fours, 4 sixes), rescuing the innings single-handedly.
Chasing 162, the USA lost early wickets to Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh. Sanjay Krishnamurthi (37 off 31) and Milind Kumar (34 off 34) kept them in the contest briefly before Axar Patel and Varun Chakravarthy struck in the middle overs. Shubham Ranjane produced a brave late cameo, striking three sixes and finishing unbeaten on 37 off 22 balls, but it was never enough.
Mohammed Siraj sealed the win in the final over with a perfect yorker that trapped Ranjane lbw, finishing with 3/29. Arshdeep Singh took 2 wickets while the rest of the attack kept the pressure on.
India will take confidence from the win despite a shaky batting display, while the USA can take plenty of positives from their disciplined bowling and fighting spirit in their World Cup debut.
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