A dominant batting show ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026: India A opener Narayan Jagadeesan lit up the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai with a magnificent 104 off 55 balls, guiding his side to a massive total of 238/3 against the United States of America in the T20 World Cup warm-up match. His century was the highlight of a commanding batting performance that showcased timing, temperament, and clean striking.
Jagadeesan Century: A Knock of Pure Class
Jagadeesan opened the innings with confidence and never looked troubled. He paced his innings perfectly—steady at the start, fluent in the middle overs, and explosive as he moved closer to the three-figure mark. His shot selection stood out, especially his ability to find gaps and maintain a high strike rate without taking unnecessary risks.
Highlights of His Innings
- Exceptional powerplay control
- Smooth strike rotation early on
- 11 boundaries and 4 sixes
- Accelerated superbly after crossing fifty
- Provided India A a rock-solid platform for a huge total
India A Innings Summary
India A – 238/3 (20 overs)
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Priyansh Arya | 28 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 215.38 |
| Narayan Jagadeesan | 104 | 55 | 11 | 4 | 189.09 |
| Tilak Varma | 38 | 24 | 3 | 2 | 158.33 |
| Ayush Badoni (c) | 60* | 26 | 6 | 4 | 230.77 |
| Riyan Parag | 2* | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
Extra runs: 6
Total: 238/3 in 20 overs (RR: 11.9)
A Partnership-Filled Power Batting Display
India A’s innings was built on three major partnerships:
Key Partnerships
| Batters | Runs | Balls |
|---|---|---|
| Priyansh Arya – Jagadeesan | 43 | 24 |
| Jagadeesan – Tilak Varma | 113 | 55 |
| Jagadeesan – Badoni | 73 | 35 |
Each stand lifted the run rate and kept USA under pressure throughout the innings.
USA Bowlers Struggle Against India A Batting Firepower
The USA bowling unit couldn’t find answers to India A’s dominance. Only Shubham Ranjane and Ali Khan managed to pick up wickets, but the rest found the going extremely tough.
USA Bowling Figures
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saurabh Netravalkar | 4 | 33 | 0 | 8.20 |
| Andries Gous | 1 | 12 | 0 | 12.00 |
| Milind Kumar | 2 | 39 | 0 | 19.50 |
| Jasdeep Singh | 3 | 36 | 1 | 12.00 |
| Harmeet Singh | 2 | 25 | 0 | 12.50 |
| Shubham Ranjane | 2 | 12 | 1 | 6.00 |
| Ali Khan | 2 | 24 | 1 | 12.00 |
| Shadley van Schalkwyk | 2 | 32 | 0 | 16.00 |
| Nosthush Kenjige | 1 | 14 | 0 | 14.00 |
| Mohammad Mohsin | 1 | 10 | 0 | 10.00 |
The high-scoring overs between 15 and 19 made the biggest difference as India A added 68 runs in the last five overs alone.
Why Jagadeesan’s Knock Matters
A timely reminder of his class: Jagadeesan has been one of India’s most reliable domestic performers across formats. This century once again highlighted his ability to dominate in T20 cricket.
A perfect warm-up statement: With the T20 World Cup around the corner, such innings give teams immense confidence and clarity in their batting order.
Versatility at the top: His ability to keep wickets and bat long makes him a valuable multi-role asset for any T20 side.
Narayan Jagadeesan – Career At a Glance
Career Batting Stats
| Format | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | 100s | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First-Class | 59 | 3866 | 46.57 | 61.87 | 11 | 16 |
| List A | 71 | 3125 | 47.34 | 94.26 | 10 | 13 |
| T20 | 73 | 1666 | 31.43 | 127.56 | 0 | 11 |
| IPL | 13 | 162 | 18.00 | 110.20 | 0 | 0 |
His domestic foundation reflects consistency, and today’s century showed he is ready for bigger stages.
Venue Atmosphere and Match Importance
The match at Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, known for its fast outfield and batting-friendly surface, served as the ideal stage for India A’s top-order to fine-tune their approach ahead of the tournament.
USA, preparing for group-stage matches in India, will take valuable lessons from this contest.
FAQs
How many runs did Narayan Jagadeesan score today?
He scored a brilliant 104 off 55 balls.
What was India A’s total against USA?
India A posted 238/3 in 20 overs.
Who were the top performers apart from Jagadeesan?
Ayush Badoni scored 60* off 26 balls and Tilak Varma contributed 38 off 24.
Where was the match played?
At the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy, Navi Mumbai.
Who won the toss?
USA won the toss and chose to bowl first.
Did Jagadeesan keep wickets in this match?
Yes, he played as the wicketkeeper-batter.
