In a dramatic opening match of the 2026 T20 World Cup, defending champions India secured a hard-fought 29-run victory against tournament co-hosts United States at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Saturday. The encounter showcased remarkable resilience from both sides, with Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav delivering a match-winning performance under immense pressure.
The Indian innings witnessed a spectacular top-order collapse, reducing the world’s top-ranked T20 team to 77-6 within the powerplay overs. US bowler Shadley van Schalkwyk triggered the crisis with a devastating spell that included three wickets in five deliveries, sending back key batsmen including opener Abhishek Sharma for a golden duck and Shivam Dube without scoring.
Facing this dire situation, captain Suryakumar Yadav orchestrated a remarkable recovery with an unbeaten 84 runs from just 49 deliveries. His innings, featuring four massive sixes, propelled India to a competitive 161-9, with 21 runs plundered from the final over bowled by Saurabh Netravalkar.
The American response demonstrated significant growth in their cricketing capabilities, finishing at 132-8 while showing commendable fighting spirit. Sanjay Krishnamurthi (37) and Milind Kumar (34) established a promising 58-run partnership that briefly threatened Indian dominance before the hosts’ bowling attack reasserted control.
Mohammed Siraj’s impressive 3-29 performance justified his selection, while Arshdeep Singh provided crucial early breakthroughs that left the Americans struggling at 31-3 during powerplay restrictions.
Reflecting on the pressure-filled encounter, Player of the Match Suryakumar revealed: ‘Only I can truly comprehend the intensity of the situation. Maintaining belief in my ability to influence the outcome was crucial—I knew persistence until the final moments would prove decisive.’
The captain acknowledged room for improvement, stating: ‘The pitch conditions presented unique challenges, but we cannot conceal our batting deficiencies. Significant enhancements are necessary moving forward.’
US captain Monank Patel identified missed opportunities as decisive: ‘Our bowling unit performed admirably, but dropped chances ultimately cost us victory. At one stage, restricting them to 130 appeared achievable.’
In other Group A action, Pakistan secured a narrow three-wicket victory against Netherlands with three balls remaining, while West Indies’ Romario Shepherd recorded a hat-trick during their 35-run triumph over Scotland in Kolkata.