Texas Super Kings’ Saiteja Mukkamalla and Shubham Ranjane produced two outstanding knocks in USA’s crucial group-stage clash against Netherlands, guiding their side to a commanding 93-run victory in the T20 World Cup. On a night where everything was on the line, the duo rose to the occasion with maturity and intent.
Batting first, USA posted a formidable 196/5 in 20 overs, a total built around Mukkamalla’s 79 and Ranjane’s blistering 48. The two added 54 runs for the fourth wicket partnership, steadying the innings before accelerating at just the right time.
It was a must-win game for USA. Having lost their first two matches to India and Pakistan, another defeat would have all but ended their hopes of reaching the Super 8 stage. The pressure was real, and the response from the senior core was emphatic.
Captain Monank Patel set the early tone with a sharp 36 off 22 balls, attacking inside the powerplay. He stitched together a 55-run stand with Mukkamalla, giving USA early momentum. Mukkamalla, who walked in after Shayan Jahangir’s dismissal at 27, began steadily before finding his rhythm.
Mukkamalla and Ranjane Takes Centre Stage
Saiteja Mukkamalla looked in complete control. During the powerplay, he balanced Patel’s aggression by rotating strike and keeping the scoreboard ticking. After Patel departed, Mukkamalla shifted gears seamlessly.
He finished with 79 off 51 balls, striking at nearly 155. His innings included 5 fours and 4 towering sixes, each coming at a moment when Netherlands threatened to claw back control. He paced the innings beautifully, first anchoring and then accelerating with calculated power.
When Mukkamalla fell, Shubham Ranjane ensured the momentum did not dip.
Ranjane carried the momentum forward with a quickfire 48 off 24 balls, striking at 200. The TSK and JSK middle-order batter struck 3 fours and 2 sixes, narrowly missing out on a half-century. His clean hitting in the final overs pushed USA close to the 200 mark, a total that eventually proved beyond Netherlands.
Netherlands Fold Under Pressure
Chasing 197, Netherlands never truly settled. Early wickets derailed their pursuit, and the required rate kept climbing. USA’s bowlers maintained relentless pressure, with key breakthroughs in the powerplay and middle overs.
In USA’s dominant 93-run win over the Netherlands, Harmeet Singh was the star bowler, claiming a superb 4-wicket haul to dismantle the Dutch batting lineup. He finished with figures of 4/23 in his four overs, making a significant impact after USA posted 196/6 and helping bowl Netherlands out for just 103 in 15.5 overs. His performance earned him the Player of the Match award and was crucial in sealing one of the USA’s most comprehensive victories at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
