Mumbai: India were pushed hard by a spirited USA side in their opening match of the T20 World Cup 2026 but eventually secured a 29-run victory at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.
Batting first after USA captain Monank Patel won the toss and chose to bowl, India posted 161 for 9 in their 20 overs, largely thanks to skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s resilient unbeaten 84 off 49 balls. The Indian innings began disastrously, with the hosts collapsing to 46 for 4 inside the powerplay.
Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for a golden duck by Ali Khan, while South Africa-born pacer Shadley van Schalkwyk delivered a devastating spell in the final over of the powerplay, claiming three wickets to put India under severe pressure. The USA bowlers maintained tight lines and picked up wickets at regular intervals, keeping the Indian batters in check on a tricky, two-paced surface.
Despite the collapse around him, Suryakumar Yadav played a captain’s knock, anchoring the innings and accelerating in the death overs to lift India to a competitive total. Van Schalkwyk emerged as the standout bowler for the USA, finishing with impressive figures of 4 for 25.
In reply, the USA chase never gained full momentum, and they were restricted to 132 for 8 in their 20 overs. Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj led the bowling attack with figures of 3 for 29, helping India defend their total and secure a winning start to their campaign.
The match highlighted India’s resilience under pressure, while the USA’s strong performance with both bat and ball showcased their growing competitiveness on the global T20 stage.