Left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh claimed a career-best 4-9, including two wickets in the first over, as India overcame a spirited challenge from the United States of America to win their third match of the T20 World Cup in New York by seven wickets and qualify for the Super Eights Stage.
Having restricted the co-hosts to 110 for eight after winning the toss and electing to bowl on a tricky wicket, India reached home in 18.2 overs, losing three wickets.
Team USA pace bowler Saurabh Netravalkar, who delivered a match-winning performance against Pakistan in a thrilling Super Over finish, was brilliant once again with the ball, dismissing star India openers Virat Kohli (0) and Rohit Sharma (3) early.
India were in trouble when number three Rishabh Pant (18) departed at the team score of 44, but Suryakumar Yadav (50 not out off 49 balls) and Shivam Dube (31 not out off 35 balls) steadied the ship with a fine fourth-wicket partnership to guide the team home.
This was India’s third straight win in the tournament after beating Ireland and Pakistan in their first two matches on the same ground.
The Mumbai-born Netravalkar finished with impressive match figures of 4-0-18-2, but in the end his efforts were not enough to stop the country of his birth from registering yet another win.
Earlier, Arshdeep removed recalled opener Shayan Jahangir lbw off the first ball and had Andries Gous (two) caught in the deep five balls later as the hosts found themselves 3-2 after the opening over.
Big-hitting skipper Aaron Jones, who clubbed an undefeated 94 in the USA’s opening win over Canada in Dallas, made just 11 before he fell to Hardik Pandya.
That left the hosts on 25-3 before opener Steven Taylor (24) and top-scorer Nitish Kumar (27) put on 31 for the fourth wicket.
Nitish became Arshdeep’s third victim, smartly caught on the boundary by Mohammed Siraj.
Former New Zealand star Corey Anderson (15) was the sixth man out with the score on 96 thanks to a running catch by wicketkeeper Pant off Pandya who completed a wicket-maiden.
With the Americans looking to push the total into three figures, Arshdeep had Harmeet Singh caught behind for 10.
Shadley van Schalkwyk (11) and Jasdeep Singh (two) ensured the United States posted a competitive total on what has been a really difficult wicket to bat.
India’s batters did find the going though before Yadav and Dube took the team home. (With inputs from AFP)