India started off their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a bang as Suryakumar Yadav played a heroic knock at Wankhede.
India opened their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a 29-run victory over the United States of America in the third Group A match at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on February 7. Captain Suryakumar Yadav led from the front with a match-winning unbeaten knock, earning the Player of the Match.
Asked to bat first, India endured a shaky start and lost wickets at regular intervals. Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for a first-ball duck, while Ishan Kishan fell for 20 off 16 balls. Tilak Varma added a brisk 25 off 16 before India slipped further as Shivam Dube departed without scoring, leaving the hosts reeling at 46/4 inside six overs.
Amid the collapse, Suryakumar Yadav played a captain’s knock of 84 not out from 49 deliveries, striking 10 fours and four sixes at an impressive strike rate of 171.42. He anchored the innings and found brief support from Rinku Singh (6), Hardik Pandya (5) and Axar Patel (14). India managed to reach 161/9 in their 20 overs, despite losing wickets till the final ball of the innings.
ALSO READ | T20 World Cup 2026 | Romario Shepherd Hat-Trick Leads West Indies Win Against Scotland
For the USA, Shadley van Schalkwyk was the standout bowler, claiming four wickets for 25 runs. Harmeet Singh picked up two wickets, while Ali Khan and Mohammad Mohsin chipped in with one each.
Chasing 162, the United States suffered an early collapse as Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh struck with the new ball. USA were reduced to 13/3 inside four overs, with skipper Monank Patel dismissed for a duck. Milind Kumar tried to steady the innings with 34 off 34 balls, while Sanjay Krishnamurthi top-scored with a fighting 37 from 31 deliveries.
USA Failed To Convert Starts As Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Star
Shubham Ranjane provided late resistance with an aggressive 37 off 22 balls, but the required run rate kept climbing. Siraj finished with figures of 3/29, while Arshdeep Singh picked up two wickets for just 18 runs. Axar Patel also impressed with 2/24, ensuring the USA were restricted to 132/8 in 20 overs.
India sealed the contest by 29 runs, beginning their World Cup journey on a winning note. With this result, India gained early momentum in Group A, while the USA showed glimpses of fight but fell short against the more experienced side as India registered their first win.
This article follows WicketWatcher’s editorial standards. Learn more in our Editorial Policy or report an issue via our Corrections Policy.