Mumbai: Defending champions India kicked off their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup campaign with a hard-fought victory over a spirited USA side at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday, surviving a major scare on an eventful opening day of the tournament.
Asked to set a target, India found themselves in deep trouble at 77 for 6, undone by disciplined bowling and sharp fielding from the USA. On a sluggish surface offering unexpected assistance to bowlers, scoring was far from straightforward.
But Suryakumar Yadav produced an innings of immense responsibility, anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 84 off 49 balls to lift India to a fighting total.
USA’s bowling effort was led superbly by Shadley van Schalkwyk, who claimed four wickets, while the rest of the attack backed him up with consistent pressure. India were also aided by a crucial reprieve when Suryakumar was dropped on 15 — a moment that proved decisive.
In reply, the USA endured a nightmare start, slumping to 13/3 inside the Powerplay as Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj exploited the conditions expertly. Though the chase never truly recovered, the Americans showed commendable resilience. Milind Kumar and Sanjay Krishnamurthi stitched together a fighting 58-run partnership, while Shubham Ranjane remained unbeaten on 37 to keep hopes alive.
However, wickets at regular intervals ensured the target remained out of reach. Siraj finished with a three-wicket haul, while every Indian bowler chipped in, barring Hardik Pandya.
Suryakumar Yadav, named Player of the Match, admitted India had been under severe pressure but stressed the importance of learning lessons even in victory. He also revealed that Jasprit Bumrah missed the match due to fever, with Washington Sundar set to join the squad in Delhi.
USA captain Monank Patel praised his bowlers and acknowledged that missed chances, including dropped catches, cost his side dearly. Despite the loss, he termed the match a valuable learning experience for his team.
The opening day of the World Cup underlined a clear theme: associate nations are no longer pushovers. Earlier in the day, the Netherlands stretched Pakistan, while Scotland pushed West Indies to the brink, setting the tone for a tournament already rich in drama.
Action continues on Sunday, February 8, with Afghanistan facing New Zealand in Chennai, England taking on Nepal in Mumbai, and Sri Lanka meeting Ireland in Colombo.
If you want this shortened, headline-only, or rewritten in a more dramatic / punchy broadcast style, just say the word.
Source: ICC
Discussion about this post