MUMBAI: India captain Suryakumar Yadav struck a resolute half-century to guide his side to a competitive total of 161 for nine against the United States in the third match of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.
Opting to field first, USA skipper Monank Patel’s decision proved effective early on as his bowlers unsettled India’s strong batting line-up and kept runs in check throughout the innings.
India suffered an early blow when opener Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for a golden duck, leaving the hosts struggling at 8 for one in the second over. Tilak Varma (25) and Ishan Kishan (20) then attempted to stabilise the innings with a 37-run stand for the second wicket.
However, USA pacer Shadley van Schalkwyk turned the game on its head by removing Varma, Kishan and Shivam Dube (0) in a single over, reducing India to 46 for four.
Yadav then assumed responsibility, anchoring the innings despite the fall of Rinku Singh and Hardik Pandya at regular intervals. He found brief but vital support from Axar Patel, with the pair adding 41 runs for the seventh wicket. Axar scored 14 off 11 balls before being dismissed by Mohammad Mohsin in the 17th over.
Yadav carried his bat through the innings, finishing unbeaten on 84 off 49 balls, including 10 fours and four sixes, to push India past the 160-run mark.
For the USA, Shadley van Schalkwyk was the pick of the bowlers, claiming four wickets for 25 runs. Harmeet Singh took two wickets, while Mohammad Mohsin and Ali Khan chipped in with one each.