Captain Suryakumar Yadav showcased an impressive performance by scoring an unbeaten 84 off 49 balls against the USA in India’s first ICC Men’s T20 World Cup match. This innings marked the second-highest score by an Indian captain in the tournament. Yadav, in great form in 2026, has now scored 1000 runs as captain, with 326 runs in six innings this year. Notably, his 84* is the second-highest score by an Indian captain in the T20 World Cup, following Rohit Sharma’s 92 not out in 2024.
Suryakumar Yadav’s 84 not out also stands as the second-highest score in a debut innings as a captain in the T20 World Cup, trailing Gayle’s 88 against Australia in 2009. Additionally, this innings ranks as the fifth-highest score by a captain in the men’s T20 World Cup, surpassing Jos Buttler’s 83* against the USA in 2024. The record for the highest score by a captain in the tournament is held by West Indies’ Chris Gayle with 98 against India in 2010.
Yadav’s innings of 84 not out against the USA was his 29th half-century in T20Is, further solidifying his prowess in the format. Starting the year with scores of 32, 82 not out, and 57* in the previous matches, he faced a minor setback with 8 runs in Visakhapatnam before bouncing back with a strong 63 off 30 balls in the series against New Zealand. Despite early wickets falling, Yadav’s resilient innings, featuring 7 boundaries and 1 six, played a crucial role in India’s total.
