Captain Suryakumar Yadav spared India’s blushes on Saturday, guiding the defending champions to a 29-run victory over the United States after a nearly catastrophic collapse in their T20 World Cup opener.
Entering the tournament as heavy favorites at home, India slumped to 77-6 at the Wankhede Stadium, teetering on the edge of what would have been one of the greatest upsets in sports history. The U.S. side, ranked 18th in the world, dominated the early stages before a critical missed chance turned the tide.
With India in crisis, U.S. bowler Shubham Ranjane dropped Suryakumar on just 15 runs. It proved to be a costly error. Suryakumar, known by his nickname "SKY," capitalized on the reprieve to blast an unbeaten 84 from 49 balls.
After a cautious start, the captain unleashed his trademark array of scoops and flicks, single-handedly lifting India to a competitive 161-9. His solo effort was 10 runs higher than the combined score of his 10 teammates.
The U.S. bowling attack, led by Shadley van Schalkwyk’s three-wicket burst in the sixth over, initially silenced the Mumbai crowd. However, the momentum vanished during the chase. Indian seamers Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj dismantled the U.S. top order, reducing them to 13-3 within four overs.
Despite a spirited effort, the U.S. finished at 132-8. The loss came amid a busy opening day for Group A, which also saw the Netherlands nearly stun Pakistan and Scotland challenge the West Indies.
India now sits atop Group A. They next face Namibia on Feb. 12 in Delhi, while the U.S. looks to build on a performance that proved they can compete with the world's elite.
