If the US Had Imposed Zero Tariffs on India, They Would Have Won the World Cup Match: Piyush Goyal

Referring to the India–USA match in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal made light-hearted remarks linking trade tariffs with cricketing outcomes. He humorously said that had the United States imposed zero tariffs on India, the American team might have emerged victorious in the match as well.

It may be recalled that India and the United States recently reached an agreement on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Under the deal, the US reduced tariffs on Indian products to 18 percent. Against this backdrop, Minister Piyush Goyal attended a reception hosted by US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gore. Speaking on the occasion, the minister shared several interesting observations.

“Although the US team did not win the match against India, their performance was truly impressive. Despite having limited experience in cricket and having taken up the sport only a few years ago, the team delivered a commendable performance. Sergio thoroughly enjoyed the game. He may have been thinking that if the 18 percent tariffs had not been imposed, they might have won. I would like to make a friendly suggestion — had the US imposed zero tariffs on India, your team would have won the match. In any case, I was genuinely impressed by the performance of the US team,” Goyal said.

As part of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, India and the United States faced off in a match held on Saturday night at the Mumbai venue. Hosts India made a strong start to the tournament by defeating the US by 29 runs. While the American side fought till the end, they could not avoid defeat, though their spirited performance drew widespread praise.