T20 World Cup: India struggle to 161 for 9 against USA after top-order collapse
Mumbai (PTI): 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).
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French President Macron concludes Mumbai visit
Mumbai (PTI): French President Emmanuel Macron, along with First Lady Brigitte Macron, left Mumbai for New Delhi on Wednesday after concluding his engagements here, including bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
They were seen off at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport by Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde.
On Tuesday, Macron held discussions with Modi as part of efforts to further strengthen India-France strategic ties.
During the Mumbai visit, the French president and his wife also met some of India's top filmmakers and actors, and had an animated exchange with them about cinema, culture and collaboration.
President Macron is on an official visit to India from February 17 to 19 at the invitation of PM Modi to participate in the AI Impact Summit hosted by India in the national capital Delhi, besides the bilateral summit in Mumbai.
PM Modi will inaugurate the summit on February 19. As many as 20 heads of states, including French President Macron, will be present at the inaugural session, Electronics and IT Secretary S Krishnan said.
