MUMBAI: Skipper Suryakumar Yadav fought back with a counter-attacking half-century, but India still failed to prop up their batting, limping to a below-par 161 for 9 after a massive top and middle-order collapse against a determined USA side in their T20 World Cup clash here on Saturday.
It was Suryakumar Yadav, who opted for caution initially, single-handedly striving to shore up India's innings with an unbeaten 84 off 49 balls, studded with 10 boundaries and four sixes, as wickets continued to fall at the other end.
India were left shell-shocked at 77 for 6 in the 13th over as USA's 37-year-old South African-born pacer Shadley van Schalkwyk (4/25) tore through the batting, striking thrice in a brutal sixth over to remove Ishan Kishan (20), Tilak Varma (25) and Shivam Dube (0).
The slide had begun earlier when Pakistan-born pacer Ali Khan sent opener Abhishek Sharma back for a first-ball duck.
Rinku Singh (6) and Hardik Pandya (5) also failed to stay with Suryakumar Yadav for long, while Axar Patel attempted to steady the innings but departed cheaply for 14.
Earlier, USA won the toss and opted to bowl.
India did not field pace ace Jasprit Bumrah in the match as he is unwell, with Mohammed Siraj coming into the playing XI.
Brief scores: India 161 for 9 in 20 overs (Ishan Kishan 20, Tilak Varma 25, Suryakumar Yadav 4; Shadley van Schalkwyk 4/25, Ali Khan 1/13, Harmeet Singh 2/26).