Suryakumar Yadav's masterful innings saved India from an embarrassing defeat against the United States of America in the opening match of the T20 World Cup 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday. India secured a 29-run victory, but not before a mighty scare from the determined USA side.
The USA won the toss and elected to field, a decision that initially seemed to have backfired. India's innings began disastrously, with wickets falling at regular intervals. Ali Khan dismissed Abhishek Sharma for a golden duck, setting the tone for a challenging batting display. Ishan Kishan, Tilak Varma, and Shivam Dube also fell cheaply, leaving India reeling at 46/4 by the end of the powerplay overs. The situation worsened as Hardik Pandya and Rinku Singh followed soon after, slumping India to 77/6 in the 13th over.
Just when it seemed the USA might pull off a historic upset, Suryakumar Yadav stepped up with a captain's knock of unbeaten 84 runs off 49 balls. His innings, studded with 10 fours and four sixes, was a blend of resilience and calculated aggression. He found a crucial partner in vice-captain Axar Patel, and together they stitched a 41-run stand for the seventh wicket, dragging India out of the precarious situation. Suryakumar then took charge, smashing 20 runs off the final over to propel India to a respectable total of 161/9. Shadley van Schalkwyk was the pick of the bowlers for the USA, claiming 4 wickets for 25 runs.
Chasing 162, the USA faced an early setback, losing three wickets for just 13 runs. Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh struck early blows, removing Andries Gous, Monank Patel, and Saiteja Mukkamalla. However, Milind Kumar and Sanjay Krishnamurthi resisted with a 58-run partnership, threatening to take the game away. Varun Chakravarthy broke the partnership by dismissing Milind Kumar, and Krishnamurthi followed soon after. Shubham Ranjane offered some late resistance, but the USA innings eventually ended at 132/8 in 20 overs.
Mohammed Siraj was the standout bowler for India, finishing with 3 wickets for 29 runs. Arshdeep Singh also contributed with crucial wickets. India's victory marked their 9th consecutive win in the T20 World Cup, surpassing South Africa and Australia for the most consecutive wins in the tournament.
Despite the win, India will need to address their batting woes as they progress further in the tournament. The middle order collapse exposed vulnerabilities that stronger opponents could exploit. However, Suryakumar Yadav's brilliant innings and the bowlers' effective performance ensured India started their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on a winning note.