Mumbai: England narrowly avoided a major upset as Nepal pushed the defending contenders to the limit in a gripping Group C encounter of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 here on Sunday.
Chasing 185 at the Wankhede Stadium, Nepal stayed in contention until the final delivery before finishing four runs short, triggering scenes of heartbreak among players and supporters alike.
Earlier, the England cricket team posted 184 for seven after electing to bat first. Jacob Bethell led the charge with a fluent 55 off 35 balls, while captain Harry Brook added 53 from 32 deliveries. Will Jacks provided late momentum with a brisk 39 off just 18 balls, ensuring England crossed the 180-run mark.
Nepal’s bowlers kept things tight despite the onslaught. Dipendra Singh Airee and Nandan Yadav claimed two wickets each, preventing England from pulling away completely in the closing overs.
In reply, the Nepal cricket team produced a fearless chase. Kushal Bhurtel gave the innings early impetus, Rohit Paudel anchored the middle overs, while Airee and Lokesh Bam attacked late to keep the contest alive. Bam’s unbeaten 39 off 20 balls brought Nepal within touching distance heading into the final over.
With 10 runs needed from the last six balls, England pacer Sam Curran delivered a masterclass in death bowling. Mixing yorkers and hard lengths, he denied Nepal the boundary they desperately sought. Bam was left needing a six off the final ball but could only manage a grounded stroke, sealing a dramatic escape for England.
The result marked another agonising near miss for Nepal, who once again demonstrated their growing competitiveness on the global stage. England, meanwhile, secured a crucial win but will reflect on a performance that exposed vulnerabilities under pressure.
England captian Harry Brooks acknowledged the fight back from Nepal side at the post match conversation. “It wasn’t easy at all, thankfully we got over the line. They played extremely well and not many teams take Adil Rashid like they did,” the England captain said.
Other Matches Played on 8th Feburary
New Zealand Vs Afghanistan at Chennai: In another high-scoring contest played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, New Zealand overcame early jitters to defeat the Afghanistan by five wickets, chasing down 183 with 13 balls to spare. Afghanistan rode Gulbadin Naib’s fluent 63 to post 182 for six on a lively surface, before Mujeeb Ur Rahman rocked New Zealand with two wickets in the second over. Tim Seifert’s counter-attacking 65 and a decisive 42 from Glenn Phillips wrested back momentum, with the pair neutralising Rashid Khan to tilt the game New Zealand’s way, as Daryl Mitchell finished the chase to secure an important win in a tightly contested group.
Brief Scores: Afghanistan: 182 for six in 20 overs (Gulbadin Naib 63; Lockie Fergusen 2/32). New Zealand: 183 for 5 in 17.5 overs (Tim Seifert 65; Mujeeb Ur Rahman 2/31).
Sri Lanka vs Ireland (Group B) at Colombo: In their tournament opener at Colombo, the Sri Lanka cricket team secured a workmanlike 20-run win over the Ireland cricket team in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, overcoming an inconsistent performance with decisive spells of spin. Sri Lanka recovered from a sluggish middle phase to post 163 for six, anchored by Kusal Mendis’ unbeaten 56 and a late, momentum-shifting 44 off 19 from Kamindu Mendis. Ireland’s chase began confidently and briefly tilted in their favour despite Wanindu Hasaranga struggling physically, but his three wickets, combined with Maheesh Theekshana’s equally incisive spell, triggered a collapse. After Harry Tector and Lorcan Tucker threatened to pull off a chase, Sri Lanka struck in quick succession to bowl Ireland out for 143 in 19.5 overs, sealing two valuable early points.
Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 163 for 5 in 20 overs (Pathum Nissanka 24, Kusal Mendis 56 not out, Kamindu Mendis 44; George Dockrell 2/17, Barry McCarthy 2/40, Gareth Delany 1/24). Ireland 143 all out in 19.5 overs (Harry Tector 40, Ross Adair 34, Lorcan Tucker 30; Maheesh Theeksjana 2/23, W Hasaranga 2/25)
