India, West Indies and Pakistan open T20 world cup 2026 with victories as associates show fight

By Cricketing Country | Posted Posted Feb 08, 2026

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 got underway on Saturday with three opening-day matches, as hosts and defending champions India, along with West Indies and Pakistan, registered winning starts.

Despite competitive performances, Associate nations USA, Scotland and the Netherlands fell short against their higher-ranked opponents.

India Beat USA by 29 Runs

At the Wankhede Stadium, India defeated USA by 29 runs after posting 161–6 in 20 overs. Captain Suryakumar Yadav played a crucial unbeaten knock of 84 runs, rescuing India from difficult situations at 46–4 and later 77–6. Tilak Varma contributed 25 runs to help India reach a competitive total.

In reply, USA managed 132–8 in their 20 overs while chasing 162. Shubham Ranjane and Sanjay Krishnamurthy top-scored with 37 runs each.

For India, Mohammed Siraj claimed three wickets, while Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel picked up two wickets apiece and Varun Chakravarthy added one.

Earlier, USA bowlers had impressed, with Shadley van Schalkwyk taking four wickets and Harmeet Singh claiming two.

Hetmyer and Shepherd star in West Indies' win

West Indies secured a 35-run victory over Scotland after posting 182–5, powered by Shimron Hetmyer’s explosive half-century off just 22 balls.

Scotland were well placed at 114–3 after 13 overs but collapsed under pressure and were bowled out for 147 with seven balls remaining.

Romario Shepherd delivered a match-winning performance, claiming five wickets including the tournament’s first hat-trick to seal a comfortable win for the former champions.

Pakistan edge Netherlands in thriller

In Colombo, Pakistan defeated the Netherlands by three wickets in a closely fought encounter. Chasing 148, Pakistan reached the target with three balls to spare despite losing seven wickets.

The Netherlands looked set for an upset when Pakistan needed 29 runs from the final two overs, but a dramatic 19th over turned the match.

A dropped catch by Max O’Dowd proved costly as Faheem Ashraf smashed 24 runs in the over with three sixes and two fours.

Batting at No. 8, Faheem remained unbeaten on 29 from just 11 balls to guide Pakistan home. After the match, Dutch pacer Paul van Meekeren admitted his side had “lost to themselves,” reflecting on missed opportunities.