India’s T20I captain, Suryakumar Yadav, expressed dissatisfaction with his team’s batting in the opening match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 against the USA. The hosts struggled early on, losing six wickets for just 77 runs. It was only a strong performance from SKY that lifted India’s score to 161/9, leading to a 29-run victory.
The Indian batters failed to properly evaluate the pitch and conditions, which contributed to their poor performance.
“I felt pressure but stayed positive, knowing I could make an impact if I batted through the innings. The pitch was tricky,” said Suryakumar Yadav.
He emphasized the need for improvement: “We can’t ignore our issues. We need to bat better and smarter. Even in victory, there’s always room for growth. A couple of partnerships could have easily pushed our score beyond 160. We can’t rely on just one or two players,” he added.
Suryakumar contributed significantly with an unbeaten 84 runs off 49 balls, including 10 fours and 4 sixes. The USA, chasing a target of 162, managed only 132/8 in their 20 overs, with Mohammed Siraj taking three wickets. Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel each claimed two dismissals.
Following their win against the USA, India leads Group A with two points and a superior net run rate. Pakistan holds second place after defeating the Netherlands in their opening match in Colombo.
