Team India, under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, began their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on a winning note, defeating the United States of America by 29 runs at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.The Men in Blue will next face Namibia on Thursday at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi. That will be followed by a marquee showdown against arch-rivals Pakistan on Sunday, February 15. The much-anticipated clash is set to take place at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and is expected to be one of the highlights of the group stage.

India will wrap up their Group A fixtures with a match against the Netherlands on February 18 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.As defending champions, India enter the tournament with a chance to achieve something truly special. In a format where supremacy is often short-lived and margins razor-thin, the team has an opportunity to defend a men’s T20 World Cup title — an achievement that would further strengthen their legacy in the shortest format. India are also aiming to become the first nation to lift the T20 World Cup trophy on home soil.A successful campaign would also make India the first team to win the men’s T20 World Cup three times.India’s journey in the tournament began with glory in the inaugural edition in 2007, when they defeated Pakistan in the final at the New Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. That iconic triumph laid the foundation for India’s dominance in T20 cricket.

The second title, however, came after a long wait. Seventeen years later, India returned to the summit in 2024, with Rohit Sharma leading the side to a memorable title win. India edged past South Africa in a thrilling final to finally end their prolonged title drought.Now, with momentum on their side, India will look to script another historic chapter in T20 World Cup history.