There was, in the end, no shock – but there was not a lot of awe either. India’s form over the last two years has made them the most feared side in world cricket but for a while as they got their World Cup campaign under way the only dread was being experienced by their own fans as the USA threatened a humiliating upset. But for some missed chances, a hugely unfortunate injury and the brilliance of Suryakumar Yadav it might well have happened.
As it was, Suryakumar’s late acceleration took him to 84 off 49 balls and his team to 161 for nine, while the USA reply started with three early wickets – the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, ruled out by illness, doing little to dull India’s cutting edge – and the margin in the end was 29.
The fans who had gathered at the Wankhede Stadium early for the tournament’s opening ceremony – scheduled, somewhat confusingly, before its third game – would certainly have been expecting further fireworks once the India innings got under way. Instead Abhishek Sharma, the world’s top-ranked batter and a player of terrific power, improvisation and as much consistency as openers in this format can muster, steered his first ball to the fielder at deep cover and for a while instead of the predicted procession there was one of another kind entirely, involving India’s superstars regularly trudging back to the dressing room.
As the powerplay ended Shadley van Schalkwyk had just taken three wickets in an over, India were 46 for four, and an upset for the ages was brewing. The tournament favourites were plunged into genuine peril despite an error-flecked fielding performance from the Americans, who beyond a handful of outfield fumbles – Van Schalkwyk humiliatingly nutmegged in the deep to turn a sharp two into an untroubled four – dropped Tilak Varma in the fourth over, Ishan Kishan in the fifth and, crucially, Suryakumar in the 10th.
Suryakumar had scored 15 off 17, and India were reeling at 63 for four, when he flubbed a return catch to Shubham Ranjane and the bowler put it down. The match might have turned on that moment, or perhaps the one in the 16th over when Ali Khan scurried back from fine leg to chase down Axar Patel’s deliberate nudge. As he stopped the ball his left knee caught in the soft turf; Khan had been earmarked for two of the key death overs but, though he gamely tried, could bowl neither. Without him the India captain clicked into top gear at the very end of the innings to plunder 21 runs off the last.
Thereafter Mohammed Siraj – parachuted straight into the team for his first T20 international since July 2024, having been coopted into the squad as a last-minute replacement for Harshit Rana – and Arshdeep Singh took three wickets in the first four overs. From there, and despite a fine fourth-wicket partnership of 58 runs between Milind Kumar and Sanjay Krishnamurthi, America’s run chase never looked anything but forlorn.
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Shepherd takes hat-trick as West Indies beat Scotland
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Scotland started their unexpected T20 World Cup campaign with a defeat as Romario Shepherd’s hat-trick inspired the West Indies to a battling 35-run victory in Kolkata.
Thrust into the tournament with just a fortnight’s notice after Bangladesh were unceremoniously kicked out over their refusal to play in India, Scotland needed 69 from 42 balls to chase down a 183 target.
Richie Berrington and Tom Bruce, who was put down twice, put on 78 together but once they departed, Shepherd dismissed Matthew Cross, Michael Leask and Oliver Davidson from successive deliveries.
The seam bowling all-rounder, who castled T20 debutant Davidson before haring off in celebration at his feat, then took his fourth wicket of the over by snaring Safyaan Sharif to finish with five for 20.
It was Shepherd’s first five-for in any international format and helped the Windies start their Group C campaign with a win, but they were given more of a test than they bargained for from their unfancied opponents.
“When I was sitting on the flight to Mumbai, it felt like a dream,” Siraj said. “I never thought I would play in the World Cup. For the past year, the planning was that all the World Cup players would get a chance in T20s, but when I didn’t play the T20s I understood I wouldn’t be part of it this year. But God changed my destiny.
“Suddenly Surya called me. He said: ‘Get ready, pack your bag and come.’ I said: ‘Surya, don’t joke, because this is not 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, he stayed 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 we would definitely win this match – and we did.”