India captain Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten 84 against the USA was all about responsibility and composure, but what followed the tense World Cup opener was pure entertainment. In a fun social media video shared by Arshdeep Singh, fans got an unfiltered look at the skipper’s humour after India survived a major scare in their first match of the T20 World Cup.
Arshdeep, known for his mock interview style on social media, playfully questioned Suryakumar about his rescue act that dragged India out of deep trouble. As the pacer cheekily highlighted his own contribution during their late partnership, the captain was more than happy to play along.
With India collapsing to 77 for 6, Suryakumar was the only batter to truly settle at the crease, facing 49 balls while wickets kept falling around him. The situation became so dire that Arshdeep walked in at No. 9, adding a crucial 22-run stand with the skipper. Four of those runs came from Arshdeep’s bat — something he was quick to remind everyone of.
Arshdeep jokingly suggested his role in the partnership was only slightly smaller than Surya’s. The captain, never missing a punchline, took the banter a step further by declaring that Arshdeep had actually played the bigger role and teasing that a batting promotion could be on the cards.
While the laughs came later, the match itself was a serious wake-up call for India. Heavy favourites heading into the contest, they were rattled early as their powerful batting lineup misfired. At 77 for 6 in 12.4 overs, even reaching 140 looked uncertain.
Suryakumar then delivered a captain’s knock, smashing ten fours and four sixes in his unbeaten 84 off 49 balls to lift India to 161 for 9. The bowlers backed him up brilliantly, with Mohammed Siraj (2/29), Axar Patel (2/24) and Arshdeep Singh (2/18) combining to restrict the USA to 132 for 8.
India walked away with the points, but the opening-night thriller served up both a reality check — and a reminder of the strong team spirit within the squad.