T20 World Cup 2026: India Crush USA in Opener, Pakistan Edge Netherlands as Group Stage Heats Up

February 15, 2026

The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 continued its exciting early phase across India and Sri Lanka, with co-hosts India delivering a dominant performance against the United States in their Group A opener at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Sunday. The defending champions posted 161/9 before restricting the USA to 132/8, securing a convincing 29-run victory powered by half-centuries from Virat Kohli (62) and Suryakumar Yadav (51), and a lethal bowling display led by Jasprit Bumrah (3/18).

Earlier in the day, Pakistan overcame the Netherlands by 6 wickets in Colombo, chasing down 150 with 11 balls to spare thanks to fifties from Babar Azam (47*) and Mohammad Rizwan (38*). The results leave India and Pakistan atop Group A after two matches each, while the USA and Netherlands search for their first points.

Latest Match Results (as of February 15)

• India 161/9 beat USA 132/8 by 29 runs (New Delhi)
• Pakistan 152/4 beat Netherlands 149/7 by 6 wickets (Colombo)
• Afghanistan 138/6 beat New Zealand 137/9 by 4 wickets (Ahmedabad)
• England 168/5 beat Nepal 142/8 by 26 runs (Mumbai)
• West Indies 172/6 beat Scotland 158/9 by 14 runs (Kolkata)

Standings – Group A (after two matches)

• India: 2 wins, 0 losses (4 points, NRR +1.45)
• Pakistan: 2 wins, 0 losses (4 points, NRR +0.92)
• USA: 0 wins, 2 losses (0 points)
• Netherlands: 0 wins, 2 losses (0 points)
• Namibia: 0 matches played

Key Performances and Talking Points

• Kohli anchors, Bumrah destroys: Virat Kohli's composed 62 off 44 balls laid the foundation, while Jasprit Bumrah's new-ball spell ripped through the USA top order.
• Pakistan's clinical chase: Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan steadied the innings after early wickets, ensuring a comfortable victory.
• Afghanistan's clutch win: Rashid Khan's all-round contribution (2/24 and 28*) proved decisive in a tense low-scoring thriller against New Zealand.
• England's batting depth: Jos Buttler's aggressive 68 off 42 and Harry Brook's quick 41 helped set a defendable total against Nepal.

Upcoming Fixtures (February 16–18)

• February 16: Namibia vs USA (Ahmedabad), India vs Netherlands (Mumbai)
• February 17: Pakistan vs Namibia (Colombo), West Indies vs Afghanistan (Kolkata)
• February 18: England vs Scotland (Chennai), New Zealand vs Nepal (Bengaluru)

The Super 8 stage begins February 22, with the final set for March 8 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad (or R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo if Pakistan qualifies).

Broadcast and Viewing Information

All matches are broadcast globally through official ICC partners. In India, coverage is on Star Sports and Disney+ Hotstar. Sri Lankan matches are shown on SLRC and various digital platforms. Live scores, highlights, and full replays are available on the official ICC website, ICC.tv (in select territories), and the ICC mobile app.

With India and Pakistan unbeaten and several Associate nations showing competitiveness, the 2026 T20 World Cup is already delivering high-quality cricket and setting up what promises to be a thrilling group stage. Fans can follow live updates and expert analysis on the official ICC channels.