Mumbai: India captain Suryakumar Yadav admitted he was under immense pressure but was confident in his ability to control the innings as the hosts overcame a spirited challenge from the USA to register a 29-run win in their opening match of the 2026 T20 World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday. “Only I can say how much pressure I felt,” Surya said with a smile after the game. “But I had the belief. I knew if I batted till the end I could make a difference. It was a slightly different wicket and we need to bat a lot better but after the win you can learn a lot of things too.”
India were given a real wake-up call by the visiting team with an expectedly comfortable start to the tournament. After being asked to bat first, the home team found themselves in deep trouble early on. The top position collapsed dramatically and India collapsed to 46 for 4 in the powerplay, sending the packed Wankhede crowd into stunned silence.
The innings started in the worst possible way as Abhishek Sharma fell to Ali Khan for a golden duck. Things got even worse in the final over of the Powerplay when USA left-arm pacer Shadley van Schalkwyk produced a sensational attack, claiming three wickets in quick succession. His clever use of variations and the two-tier nature of the surface made life extremely difficult for the Indian batsmen.
The USA bowlers maintained their lines and never allowed India to break free. The wickets continued to fall at regular intervals and it seemed like the hosts would find it difficult to even cross the 120-run mark. At one point the scoreboard read 77-6 and a modest total seemed inevitable.
Then Suryakumar Yadav stepped in with a captaincy strike of the highest quality. With a mixture of caution and aggression, he held on to one end as the wickets tumbled around him. Surya remained unbeaten with 84 off 49 balls, an innings that single-handedly took India to 161 for 9, a total that ultimately proved match-winning.
Reflecting on the conditions, the Indian skipper explained that the pitch was very different from the usual tracks at Wankhede. “When we woke up there wasn’t much sun outside. The curator tried his best but there wasn’t enough sunlight to roll and water the pitch. It wasn’t a 180-190 wicket, more like a 140 wicket. I have played a lot of cricket here so I know how to bat on similar surfaces,” he said.
Surya also revealed that the team was not at full strength physically. “Bumrah had fever and Abhishek was also unfit. Washington will join us in Delhi,” he added, giving a glimpse of the challenges within the camp.
Van Schalkwyk finished the game as the USA’s standout bowler with excellent figures of 4 for 25. His performance was instrumental in keeping India under pressure throughout the innings. Ali Khan also made his contribution with his early breakthroughs and showed that the associated nation was well prepared.
In pursuing 162, the U.S. began with hope, but soon realized that the goal would not be easy on difficult terrain. The Indian bowlers, led by Mohammed Siraj, bowled with discipline and never let the visitors lose their momentum. Siraj scored an impressive 3 for 29 and struck at crucial moments to keep the chase under control.
The USA were eventually restricted to 132 for 8 in their 20 overs. Despite the defeat, the guests earned great respect for their performance against one of the tournament favorites.
US captain Monank Patel felt his team was losing the game at crucial moments. “I thought our bowlers did a good job. The pitch wasn’t easy to read and we kept them quiet for a while. But we dropped catches and that cost us,” he admitted. “At one point we felt we could restrict them to 130. I thought 160 was a good score to chase on that wicket.”
Patel pointed out that the top flight’s failure had hurt their chances. “The top three didn’t perform and there were some soft dismissals. The intention was a little off because we lost wickets initially. But there are a lot of learnings and positives. The way we handled the pressure and the crowd was really good,” he said.
For Suryakumar, the innings was also a personal redemption after a dry spell last year. “I knew it would happen one day. After my final innings last year, I packed my kit bag, spent time with my family and then went to Nagpur. It was a different feeling,” he said. “I always felt that one batsman had to bat until the end.”
He described his state of mind during the rescue operation. “From 77 for 6, you had to understand that a batsman has to stay till the end. I just tried to play good shots and my shots. One or two partnerships could have taken us to 160 more easily but we will learn from that,” he said.
India may have secured victory, but the game was a timely reminder that no opponent in a World Cup should be taken lightly. The hosts will be relieved to have overcome the first hurdle, but are aware that bigger challenges lie ahead.
For the USA, the result was a defeat on paper but a victory in spirit. They have proven that they belong on the big stage and if they continue to play with the same conviction, the tournament could have more surprises in store.
As for India, their captain’s message was clear: celebrate the victory but don’t ignore the lessons. The road ahead requires better batting, sharper fielding and stronger partnerships. That evening in Mumbai, one man’s courage masked many shortcomings, but Surya knows that future battles will require a more comprehensive team effort.
