Mumbai, February 8: The Indian cricket team kicked off its T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a victory, defeating the USA by 29 runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday. Captain Suryakumar Yadav emerged as the hero of the match, scoring an explosive unbeaten 84 runs off 49 balls. His performance earned him the Player of the Match award.
During the post-match presentation, Suryakumar reflected on the team’s situation, stating, “When we were at 77 runs for 6 wickets, I felt it was crucial for one batsman to stay until the end. I never thought it was a 180-190 wicket; I believed it was around 140. Gautam bhai told me during the break after the 14th over to try and bat till the end, as you can always cover it.”
The Indian captain added, “I have played a lot of cricket in Mumbai, on this wicket, and on Mumbai’s grounds. So, I know how to bat on such pitches. I kept track of who was bowling and how many balls were left, focusing on playing my shots well.”
Batting first after losing the toss, the Indian team’s performance was underwhelming. Besides Suryakumar, no other batsman made a significant contribution. Coming in at number four, Suryakumar’s innings included 10 fours and 4 sixes, bringing India’s total to 161 runs.
The USA managed to score only 132 runs for 8 wickets in their 20 overs, resulting in a 29-run defeat. For India, Mohammad Siraj took 3 wickets, while Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel claimed 2 wickets each. Varun Chakravarthy also contributed with 1 wicket.
