Reigning T20 World Cup champions India are set to square off against USA in the opening game of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 on Saturday. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, the Men in Blue will look to dominate the tournament once more.
For India, the contest presents a chance to get into the rhythm of the high-stakes tournament. Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy and Arshdeep Singh are expected to lead the bowling attack, with all-rounders like Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel providing support. In terms of batting, skipper Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan and Rinku Singh could be pivotal for the team.
For USA, Saurabh Netravalkar, Harmeet Singh, and Shubham Ranjane’s experiences of playing in Mumbai will come in handy. The team has demonstrated
its ability to score above 200, losing its second warm-up match to New Zealand by just 7 runs.
IND Vs USA Wankhede Stadium Pitch Report
The Wankhede Stadium’s flat pitch and shorter boundary limits can make the game a high-scoring contest. The pitch is usually good for batters, but fast bowlers can get some movement in the early overs.
IND Vs USA Probable Playing XIs
India Playing 11 (probable): Ishan Kishan (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel (vc), Shivam Dube, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav/Varun Chakaravarthy.
USA Playing 11 (probable): Monank Patel (c), Andries Gous (wk), Saiteja Mukkamalla, Shayan Jahangir, Milind Kumar, Shubham Ranjane, Harmeet Singh, Mohammad Mohsin, Ali Khan, Nosthush Kenjige, Saurabh Netravalkar.
IND Vs USA Match Prediction
India start off as firm favourites in the contest against the USA. The team’s dominating T20 run and their win over the USA in the last edition of the tournament make their victory likely.
IND Vs USA Full Squads
India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Axar Patel, Abhishek Sharma, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Varun Chakravarthy, Washington Sundar.
USA: Monank Patel (c), Ali Khan, Andries Gous, Harmeet Singh, Jasdeep Singh, Shehan Jayasuriya, Nosthush Kenjige, Sanjay Krishnamurthi, Milind Kumar, Mohammad Mohsin, Saiteja Mukkamalla, Saurabh Netravalkar, Shubham Ranjane, Shayan Jahangir, Shadley van Schalkwyk.
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