Saiteja Mukkamalla provided the impetus with a 51-ball-79 before Shubham Ranjane’s late surge ensured a competitive 196 for 6 for the United States against the Netherlands in a T20 World Cup group league game here on Friday (February 13, 2026).

Mukkamalla added 55 for the second wicket with skipper Monank Patel (36) and another 54 for the fourth wicket with former Mumbai all-rounder Ranjane (48 batting, 24 balls), who used the long handle to a good effect to take the team total close to 200.

Mukkamalla, a former student of the cricket academy run by VVS Laxman in Hyderabad, hit five fours and four sixes. What stood out was his hitting on the off-side, including maximums over covers. His driving was top notch, while Ranjane towards the end punished the short ball tactic employed by the Netherlands bowlers.

Former South Africa left-arm spinner Roelof van der Merwe was hit for a straight six. In case of Ranjane, he pulled both Bas de Leede and Logan Van Beek.

Ranjane, who had scored a fifty against Pakistan, was in fine touch and when he and Mukkamalla were at the crease together, even 200 plus total looked possible. However Van Beek and De Leede used clever change of pace on a slowish Chepauk track to pull things back.

De Leede, son of former Netherlands seamer Tim De Leede, was the pick of the bowling attack with figures of 3 for 37.