The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 kicked off with a thrilling opening day as tournament heavyweights India, West Indies, and Pakistan all secured victories in their respective debuts.
India vs. USA Defending champions India overcame a top-order collapse to defeat the USA by 29 runs in Mumbai. After being reduced to 46/4 during the Powerplay, captain Suryakumar Yadav played a resilient knock of 84 from 49 balls to guide India to a competitive 161. In response, despite a 58-run partnership between Milind Kumar and Sanjay Krishnamurthi, the USA fell short as Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh clinical bowling restricted them to 132.
West Indies vs. Scotland In Kolkata, the West Indies triumphed over Scotland by 35 runs. Shimron Hetmyer was the standout performer, blasting 64 off 36 deliveries to propel his side to a total of 182. Scotland’s chase looked promising during a 78-run stand between Richie Berrington and Tom Bruce, but Romario Shepherd turned the tide with a spectacular five-wicket haul, including the tournament’s first hat-trick.
Pakistan vs. Netherlands The most dramatic finish of the day saw Pakistan narrowly escape an upset against the Netherlands. Chasing 148, Pakistan suffered a mid-innings collapse, losing five wickets for just 16 runs. With 29 needed off the final two overs, Faheem Ashraf smashed three sixes in the 19th over to secure a four-wicket victory with three balls to spare.
