Defending champions India commenced their 2026 T20 World Cup campaign with a hard-fought 29- run victory over the USA on February 7.
Played at a packed Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, the Group A fixture saw newly-appointed captain Suryakumar Yadav rescue his side from a precarious position to post a competitive total of 161/9.
After being put in to bat by USA skipper Monank Patel, India suffered a disastrous start, collapsing to 46/4 within the powerplay. Abhishek Sharma fell for a golden duck, while Shadley van Schalkwyk wreaked havoc, eventually finishing with impressive figures of 4/25. India’s struggle deepened as they slipped to 77/6 by the 13th over. However, Suryakumar Yadav stood tall, smashing an unbeaten 84 off 49 balls, including 21 runs in the final over against Saurabh Netravalkar.
In response, the USA chase faltered early, losing three wickets for just 13 runs. Despite resilient 37- run knocks from Sanjay Krishnamurthi and Shubham Ranjane, the American side was restricted to 132/8. Mohammed Siraj, a late replacement for the injured Harshit Rana, led the bowling attack with 3/29, supported by Arshdeep Singh (2/18) and Axar Patel (2/24). This win marks India's ninth consecutive T20 World Cup victory, a new tournament record.