Suryakumar’s brilliant blitz denies US seismic shock in T20 World Cup opener in India

In the end, there was no shock, but there wasn’t much awe either. India’s form over the past two years has made them the most feared side in world cricket, but as they got their World Cup campaign underway the only fear their own fans experienced was when the US threatened a humiliating upset. But despite some missed chances, a hugely unfortunate injury and the brilliance of Suryakumar Yadav, it could very well have happened.

However, Suryakumar’s late acceleration took him to 84 off 49 balls and his team to 161 for nine, while the US response began with three early wickets – the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, ruled out by illness, doing little to dilute India’s lead – and the margin eventually stood at 29.

The fans who had gathered early at the Wankhede Stadium for the tournament’s opening ceremony – somewhat confusingly scheduled before the third match – were surely expecting more fireworks once the innings started in India. Instead, Abhishek Sharma, the world’s top-ranked batsman and a player of tremendous power, improvisation and as much consistency as openers in this format can muster, sent his first ball to the fielder in deep cover and for a while, instead of the predicted parade, there was something very different, with India’s superstars regularly trudging back to the dressing room.

When the powerplay ended, Shadley van Schalkwyk had just taken three wickets in an over, India were 46 for four, and an eternal commotion was brewing. The tournament favorites fell into real danger despite a faultless fielding performance from the Americans, who after a handful of outfield fumbles (Van Schalkwyk humiliating nutmeg in the deep to convert a sharp two into a trouble-free four) dropped Tilak Varma in the fourth over, Ishan Kishan in the fifth and, crucially, Suryakumar in the tenth.

Suryakumar had scored 15 off 17, and India were tottering at 63 for four, when he bowled a return catch to Shubham Ranjane and the bowler laid it down. The match might have started at that moment, or perhaps at that moment in the 16th over, when Ali Khan rushed back from his good leg to chase down Axar Patel’s deliberate push. When he stopped the ball, his left knee got stuck in the soft grass; Khan was earmarked for two of the key death overs, but although he tried valiantly, he could bowl neither. Without him, the India captain shifted into top gear at the very end of the innings and plundered 21 runs from the latter.

Then Mohammed Siraj – dropped straight into the team for his first T20 international since July 2024 after being included in the squad as a last-minute replacement for Harshit Rana – and Arshdeep Singh parachuted in three wickets in the first four overs. From then on, and despite a fine 58-run fourth-wicket partnership between Milind Kumar and Sanjay Krishnamurthi, America’s chase never looked anything other than hopeless.

“When I was on the flight to Mumbai, it felt like a dream,” Siraj said. “I never thought I would play in the World Cup. Last year the plan was that all World Cup players would get a chance in the T20s, but when I didn’t play the T20s, I understood that I wouldn’t be a part of it this year. But God changed my destiny.”

“Suddenly Surya called me. He said, ‘Get ready, grab your bag and come.’ I said, ‘Surya, don’t joke, because this isn’t going to happen.’ He said, ‘I’m telling you the truth – get ready.’ I came, played the match – everything was written.

“Hats off to Surya for that innings. Even after losing so many wickets early on, he remained calm. I was sitting in the dressing room watching such fearless cricket. Even after losing six wickets, there was no panic. It was very calm. Everyone felt that we would definitely win this match – and we did.”