T20 World Cup: India survive USA test; register 29-run win with Suryakumar Yadav’s heroics | Cricket News
NEW DELHI: India’s new-ball bowlers Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj struck with the new ball to leave the USA reeling at 13 for 3 inside the first three overs, after the co-hosts had earlier been restricted to 161 for 9 in their opening 2026 T20 World Cup match in Mumbai on Saturday.The early damage proved decisive. The USA never recovered from the collapse, and India went on to register a 29-run win.
Milind Kumar and Sanjay Krishnamurthi attempted to steady the innings with a 58-run stand for the fourth wicket. However, the damage done by Siraj and Arshdeep with the new ball meant the USA middle and lower-middle order faced a stiff task against Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy and Hardik Pandya.At the halfway stage of the chase, the USA still needed 113 runs to pull off an upset against the defending champions, with the required rate climbing beyond 10 an over. Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals, and the innings never gathered momentum.The USA could score only 132 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in their 20 overs. Milind Kumar (34), Shubham Ranjane (37) and Suraj Krishnamurthi (37) fought well but were no match to the big-match experience of Indian bowlers.Pacers Mohammad Siraj (3/29) Arshdeep Singh (2/18) and left-arm spinner Axar Patel (2/24) were the pick of the bowlers.Earlier, India were lifted by skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who played a counter-attacking knock of 84 not out from 49 balls, hitting 10 boundaries and four sixes, even as wickets fell steadily at the other end.India were in deep trouble at 77 for 6 in the 13th over before Suryakumar guided them to a competitive total. USA pacer Shadley van Schalkwyk had led the bowling effort, picking up 4 for 25, including three wickets in a single over to dismiss Ishan Kishan (20), Tilak Varma (25) and Shivam Dube (0).Despite Suryakumar’s effort, India finished with what was considered a below-par 161 for 9, after a collective batting failure against a disciplined USA attack.Van Schalkwyk ended with figures of 4-0-25-4 as India’s batting line-up, apart from Suryakumar, struggled throughout the innings. India failed to score off the first four balls, with USA maintaining tight lines and denying room to the batters.Ishan Kishan broke the shackles with a six off the fifth ball, but India lost Abhishek Sharma for a first-ball duck in the second over. The top-ranked batter hit Ali Khan straight to Sanjay Krishnamurthi at deep cover, silencing the Wankhede Stadium. Tilak Varma showed intent by stepping out to hit Saurabh Netravalkar straight in the third over and followed it up with three fours off van Schalkwyk. Just as India seemed to find rhythm, Ishan hit Ali Khan for another six but then holed out to mid-off off van Schalkwyk on the first ball of the sixth over.Tilak soon followed, mistiming a pull shot off a short delivery from van Schalkwyk and offering a catch to Monank Patel. Shivam Dube was dismissed for a duck, beaten by a slow bouncer and caught by Netravalkar at short fine leg.Rinku Singh scored 6 from 14 balls before finding long-on off Mohammad Mohsin. Hardik Pandya fell for 5 while attempting a big shot against Harmeet Singh, and Axar Patel made 14 before being dismissed while looking for late runs.With the responsibility resting solely on him, Suryakumar managed the strike carefully and played his shots with control. He was the only Indian batter to fully read the pitch and accelerated in the final overs, scoring 34 runs off the last two, including 21 off the final over bowled by Netravalkar.That effort proved enough, as India’s bowlers completed the job to seal a comfortable win.
