ICC T20 World Cup 2026 gets underway with three enthralling matches on day 1
India defeated USA, Pakistan beat Netherlands in Group A
West Indies dominated Scotland in their return to Kolkata
Romario Shepherd registered this edition's first hat-trick
Having enjoyed unparalleled success in T20 cricket, India needed a good workout in their ICC T20 World Cup 2026 campaign opener, and the United States of America (USA) almost served a rude awakening at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on Saturday (February 7, 2026).
Batting first, the defending champions were tottering at 77/6 in 12.4 overs. But a Suryakumar Yadav redux ensured that Men in Blue reached a defendable total (161/9), and it proved just about enough.
Mohammed Siraj, who filled in for the indisposed Jasprit Bumrah, claimed three wickets for 29 runs after fellow pacer Arshdeep Singh's early strikes. Spinners Axar Patel and Varun Chakaravarthy also contributed with wickets as India restricted the Americans to 132/8 for a 29-run win.
Pakistan Somehow Sail Their Ship To Victory Against Netherlands
India weren't the only team to escape from jail on the opening day of the tournament, however. Earlier in the day, in another Group A match, Pakistan were forced into a corner by a plucky Netherlands outfit.
Bowling first, the former champions allowed the Netherlands to post 147, an average total at the Sinhalese Sports Club, Colombo. Pace spearhead Shaheen Afridi failed to impress and ended up leaking 23 runs for one wicket in three overs.
A cautious start, and Pakistan were 53/2 in 4.5 overs. But a flurry of rash shots allowed the Dutch to claw back into the context. In fact, at 114/7 in 16 overs, Pakistan were staring at a shock defeat.
Then Faheem Ashraf, who was reprieved on 10 -- dropped at long-on off the second ball in the penultimate over -- finished the job with a counter-attacking knock (29 off 11). Pakistan won the match by three wickets.
West Indies Blank Scotland In Their Emotional Return To Eden Gardens
In Kolkata, a couple of Barbadians helped the West Indies dominate Scotland in their Group C opener. Asked to set a target at Eden Gardens, the two-time champions needed a Shimron Hetmyer batting masterclass to post 182/5.
He then returned to pluck a sensational catch, even as his Barbadian compatriot Romario Shepherd made bowling history by claiming four wickets in an over, including a hat-trick.
The Scots, who replaced Bangladesh in the World Cup roster, were 132/5 in 16 overs before Shepherd's return into the attack. They lost the remaining wickets for 15 runs in 17 deliveries, to get dismissed for 147 all out in 18.5 overs.
ICC T20 World Cup 2026: What To Expect On Day 2?
The second day of the competition will witness another action-packed triple-header, featuring clashes between established cricketing giants and emerging teams:
New Zealand vs Afghanistan, Group D: Match begins at 11:00 AM local time at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
England vs Nepal, Group C: This highly anticipated fixture -- Associate side against the two-time champions -- at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium starts at 3:00 PM local time.
Sri Lanka vs Ireland, Group B: The day concludes under the lights at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo with a 7:00 PM IST kick-off.
