Saiteja Mukkamalla had an impressive innings for the United States against the Netherlands in the 21st match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The game took place at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
The USA batted first, scoring 196 runs and losing 6 wickets in their 20 overs. Mukkamalla stood out, scoring 79 runs from 51 balls, including five fours and four sixes. His strong performance helped the team set a significant target on a good batting pitch.
This innings is now one of the highest individual scores by an Associate player in T20 World Cup history.
Most 50-Plus Scores for USA in T20Is
Mukkamalla reached an important career milestone with this performance. He now has seven 50-plus scores in just 20 innings, tying with another player for the highest total for the USA in T20 internationals.
| Player | 50+ Scores | Innings |
| Saiteja Mukkamalla | 7 | 20 |
| Monank Patel | 7 | 39 |
| Andries Gous | 6 | 26 |
| Steven Taylor | 5 | 29 |
Mukkamalla’s consistent performance demonstrates his potential to excel throughout his Cricket career, reaching this record faster than others.
Highest Individual Scores in T20 World Cups (Associate)
| Score | Player | Team | Vs | Venue | Year |
| 94* | Aaron Jones | USA | Canada | Grand Prairie | 2024 |
| 86 | Michael Jones | Scotland | Ireland | Hobart | 2022 |
| 84 | George Munsey | Scotland | Italy | Kolkata | 2026 |
| 80* | Andries Gous | USA | South Africa | North Sound | 2024 |
| 79 | Saiteja Mukkamalla | USA | Netherlands | Chennai | 2026 |
Mukkamalla’s score of 79 against the Netherlands is now among the top individual scores for Associate teams in T20 World Cup history, ranking fifth on the list.
Elite Company in Men’s T20I Cricket
Mukkamalla holds a unique record among 536 batters who have scored at least 500 runs in Men’s T20Is. Only five players have done this with an average over 40 and a strike rate above 150.
He is in the company of Karanbir Singh (Austria), Mohammad Ihsan (Spain), Rinku Singh (India), and Darius Visser (Samoa). His ability to score runs quickly and consistently highlights his significance to the team.
His performance against the Netherlands further confirmed his value to the USA cricket team as he begins to set records that elevate the standards of USA cricket on the International stage.
