India began their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a gritty 29-run win over the USA at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, in a match that demanded patience and adaptability more than power hitting.
After India stumbled to 77 for 6, the Men in Blue were staring at a potential collapse against a disciplined USA bowling attack led by Shadley van Schalkwyk. It was captain Suryakumar Yadav who steadied the ship with a composed 84 off 49 balls, guiding India to a competitive 161/9.
“Only I can tell actually at the position which we were in, 77 for 6, how much pressure I was feeling. But I had that belief that I have batted in similar situations. Playing a lot of cricket in the maidans of Mumbai, I knew if I batted till the end, I could make a difference,” Suryakumar said in the post-match presentation.
Reflecting on the Wankhede surface, the 35-year-old acknowledged the pitch was unusual and that India could have adapted better as a batting unit.
“It was a little different wicket from what it always is at Wankhede. The curator and groundsmen did their best, but with limited sunlight, the pitch behaved differently. We could have batted a little better,” he added.
Suryakumar also highlighted the importance of partnerships and lessons from the innings, sharing a key conversation with coach Gautam Gambhir during the middle overs.
“After 14 overs, Gauti bhai told me to just try and bat till the end; you can cover it anytime. I always felt one batter needed to see it through. Small partnerships could have pushed us beyond 160, but the focus was to finish the innings well. We have five days for the next game, and we’ll come back stronger,” he said.
The India captain’s measured approach under pressure proved decisive as the USA were eventually restricted to 132/8, giving India a winning start to their T20 World Cup campaign.
Follow us for all cricket updates:
