India face USA in their T20 World Cup 2026 opener on February 7
Indian openers will be up against a good USA pace attack
Indian spinners will hold the key
India begin their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on February 7 in Mumbai, taking on the United States at the iconic Wankhede Stadium as defending champions eager to retain their title on home soil.
The Indian side, led by Suryakumar Yadav and bolstered by in-form batters such as Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma, arrives in red-hot form after strong performances in warm-up and the recently-concluded T20I sereis against New Zealand, maintaining dominance across T20Is in recent months. India’s balanced bowling attack featuring world-class pacers and spin options is expected to complement their batting firepower as they aim for an emphatic start in Group A.
For the USA, this match represents a significant opportunity to challenge one of cricket’s most established teams on the big stage. Having already tasted competitive action in warm-up fixtures, including a notable showing against India A, the Americans will look to leverage their growing confidence and unique playing styles to upset the balance.
Suryakumar Yadav vs Saiteja Mukkamalla
India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav will be central to India’s batting success with his innovative strokeplay and ability to score all around the wicket. Keeping him quiet early will be a priority for USA bowlers like Saiteja Mukkamalla, who have shown good control in T20Is. A strong performance from Mukkamalla with disciplined lines could test India’s top order and set the tone for USA’s bowling attack.
Jasprit Bumrah vs Monank Patel
India’s premier pacer Jasprit Bumrah will be tasked with curbing the USA batting group right from the start. Facing him will be players like Monank Patel, who will need to negotiate Bumrah’s accuracy and variations early on to give USA any chance of a competitive total. Bumrah’s early breakthroughs could define the match flow.
Hardik Pandya vs Milind Kumar
All-rounder Hardik Pandya’s experience and ability to swing the momentum with both bat and ball makes him a key figure in this clash. For the USA, seasoned batter Milind Kumar represents a crucial challenge, with his experience in T20 leagues and international exposure. The duel between Pandya’s pace/power and Milind’s batting stability will be pivotal if USA are to build partnerships.
India Vs USA, ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Squads
India: Ishan Kishan(w), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar
United States of America: Monank Patel(c), Andries Gous(w), Saiteja Mukkamalla, Shayan Jahangir, Milind Kumar, Shubham Ranjane, Harmeet Singh, Mohammad Mohsin, Ali Khan, Nosthush Kenjige, Saurabh Netravalkar, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Shehan Jayasuriya, Jasdeep Singh, Sanjay Krishnamurthi
