Who would have thought that with only 72 runs on the scoreboard, half the Indian batting would be back in the dugout? And that too against the USA cricket team! Batting was a disaster for the home team as their batting lineup was crumpled like paper at the hands of the USA bowlers in the third match on the opening day of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
Being the hosts, along with Sri Lanka and the defending champions, Team India is arguably the favorite to win this year’s T20 World Cup 2026. But, the way he has started his campaign, no one could have imagined even in their nightmares. India’s batting performance against America has been no less than a nightmare.
USA bowlers unexpectedly hit the Indian batting order hard
The United States cricket team gave a hint of the storm in the first innings when Ali Khan dismissed Abhishek Sharma for a golden duck. However, with a very deep batting line-up filled with proven T20 batsmen, fans were expecting a change. In fact, it was a storm caused by the USA bowlers.
Things turned from bad to worse for the Men in Blue when they lost three consecutive players in the sixth over. 37-year-old medium pace bowler Shadley Van Schalkwyk became a destroyer with the ball.
3 wickets in a single over
The experienced fast bowler took the wickets of Ishan Kishan, Tilak Verma and Shivam Dubey one by one. Verma and Dubey bowled two consecutive balls. Like Abhishek Sharma, this all-rounder also returned empty handed without scoring any runs.
With four players out, the pressure was on the shoulders of captain Suryakumar Yadav and Rinku Singh. Like most Indian batsmen in today’s game, Singh disappointed the fans; Hardik Pandya also did the same – he came and went.
At the time of writing, with Suryakumar Yadav and Axar Patel in the middle, India are 116 for 6. Yadav is on the verge of another T20I half-century.
Social media platform ‘X’ has been flooded with reactions from shocked Indian cricket fans. An ‘X’ user wrote in a post, “OMG!!!!! Just look at the scoreboard and what’s going on with #IndianTeam????” While some saw the opportunity to mock the Indian batting lineup and compared it to Pakistan’s. A net user said, “Indian batsmen are getting inspired by Pakistani batsmen.”
Read some notable X reactions here:
Oh God !!!!! Just watch the scoreboard and see what’s happening #IndianTeam ????
We can’t go on with such a low score…#USATeam Too new, we can’t let them win man!!!!!!#INDvsUSA #WCT20– Yami Patel (@Pyami777) 7 February 2026
Indian batsmen are taking inspiration from Pakistani batsmen! #INDvsUSA #INDvUSA #T20WorldCup2026 pic.twitter.com/BotW4ndDwY
– Fahad Haq (@Fahadkisuno) 7 February 2026
Laugh or cry?? #T20WorldCup2026 #T20WC #INDvsUSA https://t.co/6y0DUAVGb6
– Jalal Ahmed Khan (@Baair Outdoor) 7 February 2026
Another one was out for 14 runs.
How many players have reached 20 points?
Any???#T20WorldCup2026 #T20WC #INDvsUSA pic.twitter.com/TdlocLvkMj– Jalal Ahmed Khan (@Baair Outdoor) 7 February 2026
captain #suryakumar He stands up when the team needs him the most.
Keep going captain, we Indians are behind you
– Sahil Grover (@groversahil511) 7 February 2026
Surya Bhau vs USA. #INDvsUSA pic.twitter.com/VfTSnTlyPG
– Justin IPL (@JatinBeerBall) 7 February 2026
after seeing #INDvsUSA After the match I realized why Shreyas Iyer should have been #T20WorldCup. What do you think?
– Shachindra Kumar (@SHACHINDRA100) 7 February 2026
You have to call it batting without thinking.
– Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) 7 February 2026
The United States has come to the park with a proper plan. Well done to them.
It is expected that Team India will overcome this initial problem and make a comeback.
– Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) 7 February 2026
read more: USA beats India, blows away defending champions inside powerplay in T20 World Cup
