Sachin Tendulkar Lauds India's Hard-Fought T20 World Cup Victory Over USA
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has praised Team India's tense 29-run triumph over the United States in the opening match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, played at Mumbai's iconic Wankhede Stadium on Saturday. While celebrating Suryakumar Yadav's match-winning performance, Tendulkar also acknowledged the spirited and energetic display by the USA team against the defending champions.
A Tense Start and Calm Finish for India
India's title defense campaign began on a positive note with this hard-fought victory, though the USA pushed the Men in Blue significantly before ultimately falling short. The match was largely decided by Suryakumar Yadav's brilliant innings of 84 runs off just 49 balls, which rescued India from a precarious position of 77/6 and helped them post a competitive total of 161/9 in their allotted 20 overs.
Suryakumar Yadav was the only batter to reach a half-century in the match, displaying remarkable composure under immense pressure when India's top order collapsed. His innings included 10 boundaries and four sixes, providing the crucial momentum shift that ultimately proved decisive.
Tendulkar's Social Media Praise for Both Teams
Sachin Tendulkar shared his detailed thoughts on social media platform X, applauding both India's finish and the USA's determined fight. "A tense start, but a calm finish for Team India," Tendulkar wrote. "When new teams step up to the occasion, cricket's global rise accelerates — @usacricket did that yesterday, and their energy and enthusiasm was 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 done Team India, always good to start on a winning note!"
India's Batting Contributions and USA's Bowling Efforts
During India's innings, apart from Suryakumar Yadav's standout performance, Ishan Kishan contributed 20 runs off 16 balls with one four and two sixes, while Tilak Varma added 25 from 16 deliveries that included three boundaries and a six. For the United States, Shadley van Schalkwyk was the most successful bowler with impressive figures of 4 wickets for 29 runs, supported by Harmeet Singh who claimed 2 wickets for 26 runs.
USA's Chase Falls Short Despite Valiant Effort
Chasing a target of 162 runs, the USA team managed to reach 132/8 in their 20 overs, falling 29 runs short of victory. Milind Kumar top-scored with 34 runs off 34 balls, while Sanjay Krishnamurthi contributed 37 from 31 deliveries that included two sixes and a four. Shubham Ranjane provided late momentum with 37 runs off just 22 balls, hitting three sixes in his aggressive innings.
India's bowling attack, led by Mohammed Siraj who took 3 wickets for 29 runs, Axar Patel with 2 wickets for 24 runs, and Arshdeep Singh who claimed 2 wickets for 18 runs, ensured the visitors could not get close to the target despite their determined effort.
India Begins Title Defense with Collective Team Effort
India thus successfully began their T20 World Cup title defense with this important victory, thanks primarily to Suryakumar Yadav's composed batting under pressure and a collective team effort from both batsmen and bowlers. The match demonstrated the growing competitiveness of associate nations in international cricket, particularly highlighted by the USA's spirited performance against the tournament favorites.
The victory sets a positive tone for India's campaign in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, while also showcasing the expanding global reach of cricket as newer teams continue to challenge established cricketing nations with increasing frequency and competitiveness.
