Captain Suryakumar Yadav delivered a heroic unbeaten 84 off 49 balls to rescue India from a catastrophic collapse and secure a 29-run victory over USA in their T20 World Cup 2026 opener at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
Contributing over 50% of India’s total, Suryakumar’s lone hand dragged the defending champions from 77/6 to a competitive 161/9. Mohammed Siraj, drafted just 24 hours before the tournament, marked his T20I return after 18 months with a sensational 3/29, including two powerplay strikes.
USA’s inspired bowling, led by Shadley van Schalkwyk’s career-best 4/25, had India reeling, but a crucial dropped catch when Suryakumar was on 15 proved costly as India began their title defense with a hard-fought win.
Match Information
| Match Details | Information |
|---|---|
| Tournament | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Group C |
| Venue | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India |
| Toss Winner | USA (elected to field) |
| Match Result | India won by 29 runs |
| Player of the Match | Suryakumar Yadav (India) – 84*(49) |
| India Score | 161/9 (20 overs) |
| USA Score | 132/8 (20 overs) |
India First Innings – Captain’s Knock Amid Collapse
India’s innings began disastrously with Abhishek Sharma dismissed for a golden duck by Ali Khan, caught at deep cover. The defending champions stumbled to 46/4 in the powerplay, their third-lowest powerplay score in home T20Is post-2024 World Cup. Ishan Kishan (20 off 16, 1×4, 2×6) and Tilak Varma (25 off 16, 3×4, 1×6) showed brief resistance before van Schalkwyk’s slower balls accounted for both. When Shivam Dube (0), Rinku Singh (6), and Hardik Pandya (5) fell in quick succession, India were reeling at 77/6 in the 13th over.
Source: Outlook India
Suryakumar remained ice-cool, surviving a dropped return catch by Shubham Ranjane when on 15. Axar Patel (14 off 11, 2×4) provided support in a crucial 38-run stand before the captain unleashed carnage in the final over. He plundered 21 runs off Saurabh Netravalkar (0/65—most expensive T20 WC spell ever): FOUR, SIX, SIX, FOUR, SIX. His unbeaten 84 (6×4, 6×6, SR: 171.43) lifted India to 161/9.
India Batting Summary
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suryakumar Yadav* | 84 | 49 | 6 | 6 | 171.43 |
| Tilak Varma | 25 | 16 | 3 | 1 | 156.25 |
| Ishan Kishan | 20 | 16 | 1 | 2 | 125.00 |
| Axar Patel | 14 | 11 | 2 | 0 | 127.27 |
| Bowler (USA) | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shadley van Schalkwyk | 4 | 25 | 4 | 6.25 |
| Harmeet Singh | 4 | 26 | 2 | 6.50 |
| Mohammad Mohsin | 4 | 16 | 1 | 4.00 |
USA Second Innings – Siraj’s Dream Return Crushes Chase
Mohammed Siraj’s fairytale comeback saw him dismiss Andries Gous (6) and Saiteja Mukkamalla (2) in the powerplay, while Arshdeep Singh (2/18) removed captain Monank Patel (0). USA stumbled to 31/3 after six overs.
Milind Kumar (34 off 34, 3×4, 1×6) and Sanjay Krishnamurthi (37 off 31, 1×4, 2×6) rebuilt with a 48-run partnership, bringing USA to 98/4 after 14 overs. However, Axar Patel’s (2/24) double-wicket 16th over—dismissing both set batsmen in consecutive balls, triggered a collapse from 100/4 to 104/6.
Shubham Ranjane (37 off 22, 2×4, 3×6) fought bravely despite injury, smashing boundaries off Hardik and Siraj, but lacked support. Varun Chakaravarthy (1/24) stumped Milind, while Siraj trapped Ranjane LBW with a yorker to seal India’s 29-run victory and extend their T20 World Cup winning streak to nine matches.
USA Batting Summary
| Batsman | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanjay Krishnamurthi | 37 | 31 | 1 | 2 | 119.35 |
| Shubham Ranjane | 37 | 22 | 2 | 3 | 168.18 |
| Milind Kumar | 34 | 34 | 3 | 1 | 100.00 |
| Bowler (IND) | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammed Siraj | 4 | 29 | 3 | 7.25 |
| Axar Patel | 4 | 24 | 2 | 6.00 |
| Arshdeep Singh | 4 | 18 | 2 | 4.50 |
