New York: Suryakumar Yadav hit an unbeaten half-century and left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh claimed a career-best 4/9 as India defeated the United States of America by seven wickets to reach the T20 World Cup Super Eight here on Wednesday.
Chasing 111 to win the Group A clash, India were rattled at 15/2 and then at 39/3 before Surya (50 not out) and Shivam Dube (31 not out) put on an undefeated fourth-wicket stand of 72 to secure a third win in three games for Rohit Sharma's team with 10 balls to spare.
Despite the defeat, the US can join India in the Super Eight with a win over Ireland as they have four points while Pakistan and Canada are on two.
India were stunned by Mumbai-born fast bowler Saurabh Netravalkar who had star batsman Virat Kohli caught behind for nought off the first ball he faced. Rohit was then caught by Harmeet Singh at mid-off, again off the bowling of the 32-year-old Netravalkar, in the third over.
Rishabh Pant's 18-run cameo was ended when his stumps were uprooted by Ali Khan in the eighth over.
However, Surya brought up his 18th T20 International half-century from 49 balls with the help of two fours and as many sixes. Surya was dropped on 22 by Netravalkar. Later, the US were handed a five-run penalty after they failed to start an over within the stipulated one- minute time for the third time in the match with India needing 35 off 30 balls.
Left-hander Dube's his 35-ball knock featured a boundary and a six on the same notoriously tricky and slow Nassau County International Cricket Stadium pitch where India had made just 119 in a six-run win over Pakistan at the weekend.
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 US found themselves 3/2 after the opening over.
Big-hitting skipper Aaron Jones, who clubbed an undefeated 94 in the hosts' opening win over Canada in Dallas, made just 11 before he fell to Hardik Pandya.
That left the US 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 wicket-keeper 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 US posted what they hoped would have been a defendable total.
