Siraj’s Lion-Hearted Spell, Suryakumar’s Masterclass Power India to Winning Start Against USA

Mumbai, Feb 2026 : India began their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on a winning note with a gritty 29-run victory over the USA at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday, riding on a captain’s knock from Suryakumar Yadav and a spirited bowling performance led by last-minute replacement Mohammad Siraj.

In a match that tested India’s depth and resilience, Siraj rose to the occasion with a lion-hearted spell of fast bowling, finishing with impressive figures of 3 for 29. He found able support from Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel, who claimed two wickets each, as India restricted the USA to 132 for 9 in their allotted 20 overs while defending a modest total of 161 for 9.

Asked to bat first on a pitch that offered early assistance to bowlers, India suffered a dramatic collapse at the top. The defending champions were reeling at 77 for 6, with the USA bowlers exploiting movement and bounce to leave India staring at a sub-par total. The top and middle order struggled to settle, and wickets kept tumbling at regular intervals.

At the heart of India’s recovery was skipper Suryakumar Yadav, who once again showcased his class and composure under pressure. Playing a sublime innings, Suryakumar remained unbeaten on 84, anchoring the innings while attacking whenever the opportunity presented itself. His knock, studded with innovative strokeplay and calculated aggression, proved decisive in lifting India to a defendable score.

Tilak Varma chipped in with a valuable 25, providing brief support during the rebuilding phase, but it was Suryakumar’s mastery that ensured India crossed the 160-run mark. For the USA, Shadley van Schalkwyk was the standout bowler, picking up 4 for 25, while Harmeet Singh claimed 2 for 26.

India’s bowling effort, however, stole the show in the second half, especially given the circumstances. Mohammad Siraj was brought into the squad only a day earlier as a replacement for the injured Harshit Rana. On match day, he was thrust into the playing XI after pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out due to illness. Far from looking undercooked, Siraj delivered with passion and precision, lifting the morale of a depleted attack.

Siraj made an immediate impact with a fiery opening spell. In his first two overs, he struck twice, first removing Andries Gous, who chipped an uppish shot to Tilak Varma at cover-point, and then dismissing fellow opener Saiteja Mukkamalla, who mistimed a fullish delivery that nipped back in. Varun Chakravarthy completed a simple catch, and the USA were on the back foot early.

Arshdeep Singh added to the pressure by dismissing USA skipper Monank Patel for a duck, leaving the visitors struggling at 13 for 3. Siraj’s figures read an impressive 2 for 18 after his first three overs, setting the tone for India’s defence.

Sanjay Krishnamurthi and Milind Kumar then attempted to steady the innings for the USA, putting together a cautious 58-run partnership for the fourth wicket. They negotiated the Indian spinners with care, rotating strike and finding occasional boundaries to keep hopes alive. Milind played a measured knock of 34 off 34 balls, hitting three fours and a six, before Varun Chakravarthy provided the breakthrough by drawing him out of his crease, with Ishan Kishan effecting a sharp stumping.

Krishnamurthi continued to battle, striking a six each off Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya, along with a boundary off Varun, while largely relying on singles and doubles. He reached 37 off 31 balls before Axar deceived him with a tossed-up delivery, inducing a lofted shot that was safely caught in the deep. On the very next ball, Harmeet Singh was dismissed for a first-ball duck, as the USA slumped to 98 for 6 in the 16th over.

With the required run rate soaring, the USA needed a late flourish, but India’s bowlers maintained their discipline. Mohammad Mohsin briefly threatened with an eight-ball 9, including a scooped four off Arshdeep, but the left-arm pacer struck back immediately to claim his second wicket, reducing the USA to 110 for 7.

Shubham Ranjane provided some resistance at the end, striking a six off Hardik Pandya and a four off Siraj. However, Siraj had the final word, dismissing Ranjane for 37 to seal India’s second victory over the USA in as many World Cup encounters.

The result underlined India’s ability to absorb pressure, with Suryakumar’s brilliance and Siraj’s timely intervention ensuring a confident start to their Group A campaign.

Brief scores:
India 161/9 in 20 overs (Suryakumar Yadav 84* , Tilak Varma 25; Shadley van Schalkwyk 4-25, Harmeet Singh 2-26)
USA 132/9 in 20 overs (Sanjay Krishnamurthi 37, Shubham Ranjane 37, Milind Kumar 31; Mohammad Siraj 3-29, Axar Patel 2-24, Arshdeep Singh 2-18)

Team Maverick.