Mumbai, February 8: Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has lauded Team India's 29-run win over the United States in their opening match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, held at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday. While Tendulkar celebrated Suryakumar Yadav's match-winning innings, he also commended the USA for their spirited and promising performance against the defending champions.
India secured a crucial victory in their title defense campaign, defeating the USA in a hard-fought encounter. Despite falling short by 29 runs, the USA’s players showed great resilience, providing India with a serious challenge throughout the match. Batting first, India faced early pressure at 77/6, but Suryakumar Yadav’s composed knock of 84 off 49 balls steered them to a total of 161/9 in their allotted 20 overs, a total that ultimately proved to be match-winning. His innings, marked by 10 boundaries and four sixes, was the only half-century of the game.
In a post-match message on X, Tendulkar highlighted Team India's calm under pressure after a shaky start and praised the USA's enthusiasm, calling their performance “promising.” He also expressed admiration for Yadav’s composure in difficult circumstances. Tendulkar wrote, "A tense start, but a calm finish for Team India. When new teams rise to the occasion, it accelerates cricket's global growth - @usacricket did that yesterday, and their energy and enthusiasm were promising! They came close to giving us some nervous moments, but @surya_14kumar’s experience and composure under pressure guided India to a respectable total. Our bowlers did the rest for us. Well don,e Team India, always good to start on a winning note!"
After being asked to bat, India posted 161/9 in their 20 overs. Apart from Yadav’s match-winning knock, Ishan Kishan (20 off 16 balls) and Tilak Varma (25 off 16 balls) also contributed valuable runs. For the USA, Shadley van Schalkwyk (4/29) and Harmeet Singh (2/26) were the standout bowlers.
Chasing 162, the USA was restricted to 132/8, falling short by 29 runs. Milind Kumar (34 off 34 balls), Sanjay Krishnamurthi (37 off 31 balls), and Shubham Ranjane (37 off 22 balls) fought hard for the USA. However, India’s bowlers – Mohammed Siraj (3/29), Axar Patel (2/24), and Arshdeep Singh (2/18) – kept the pressure on, ensuring the win for the Men in Blue.
