England narrowly escaped with a nail-biting 4-run victory over Nepal in a thrilling encounter at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, successfully defending 184 to record the second-lowest victory margin for a full-member team against an Associate nation in T20 World Cup history.
The match featured dramatic momentum swings that had the capacity crowd on the edge of their seats throughout. England posted a competitive 184/7 thanks to Jacob Bethell’s maiden T20 World Cup fifty (55 off 35 balls) and Harry Brook’s entertaining 53 off 32 deliveries.
However, Nepal nearly pulled off a stunning upset in the chase, with Kushal Bhurtel’s explosive 29 off 17 balls getting them off to a flying start, followed by a magnificent 82-run partnership between captain Rohit Paudel (39 off 34) and Dipendra Singh Airee (44 off 29).
The turning point came when Nepal audaciously targeted England’s premier spinner Adil Rashid, smashing him for 42 runs in just 3 overs. Needing 10 runs off the final over, Nepal fell agonizingly short as Sam Curran delivered pinpoint yorkers under immense pressure, restricting them to 180/6 and leaving the Associate nation heartbroken for the second consecutive T20 World Cup after losing to South Africa by just 1 run in 2024.
Match Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Venue | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| Date | Sunday, February 8, 2026 |
| Match | 5th Match, Group C |
| Toss | England won and elected to bat |
| Man of the Match | Will Jacks (ENG) |
| England | 184/7 (20 overs) |
| Nepal | 180/6 (20 overs) |
| Result | England won by 4 runs |
1st Innings Highlights – England: 184/7 (20 overs)
England posted 184/7 on a challenging Wankhede surface that offered variable bounce and turn. The innings began poorly when debutant Sher Malla struck with his first ball in international cricket, dismissing Phil Salt (1). Jos Buttler (26 off 17 with 5 fours) counter-attacked before falling to Nandan Yadav, leaving England at 44/2.
Jacob Bethell and Harry Brook rebuilt the innings brilliantly. Bethell, making his T20 World Cup debut, crafted a mature 55 off 35 balls with 4 fours and 4 sixes, becoming only the second England batsman to score a fifty-plus on debut after Kevin Pietersen.
His innings featured back-to-back sixes off Kushal Bhurtel that brought up his maiden T20 World Cup fifty. Brook showcased his extraordinary talent with 53 off 32 balls (4 fours, 3 sixes), including a nonchalant pull for six off Sandeep Lamichhane that highlighted his generational ability.
Nepal’s spinners fought back brilliantly in the middle overs (14-17), conceding just 19 runs and taking two wickets. Dipendra Singh Airee dismissed both Bethell and Sam Curran to finish with 2/23. However, England’s death-over surge proved decisive.
Will Jacks played a match-winning cameo of 39 off 18 balls with 3 sixes, exploiting Nepal’s decision to bowl pace in the final overs. Karan KC’s final over went for 21 runs as England plundered 45 runs in the last three overs to post a competitive total.
1st Innings Best Performers
| Player | Performance |
|---|---|
| Best Batsman | Jacob Bethell – 55 (35 balls, 4 fours, 4 sixes) |
| Best Bowler | Dipendra Singh Airee – 2/23 (3 overs) |
2nd Innings Highlights – Nepal: 180/6 (20 overs)
Nepal’s chase began explosively as Kushal Bhurtel attacked England’s pacers fearlessly. He smashed Jofra Archer for three consecutive fours and took 15 runs off Luke Wood’s third over, racing Nepal to 31/0 after 3 overs.
However, England’s spinners struck back. Liam Dawson dismissed Aasif Sheikh (7) before Will Jacks removed the dangerous Bhurtel (29 off 17) with a soft caught-and-bowled dismissal.
The match’s defining moment came through an extraordinary 82-run partnership between captain Rohit Paudel (39 off 34) and Dipendra Singh Airee (44 off 29 with 6 fours and 1 six).
The pair played with remarkable intelligence and courage, most notably targeting Adil Rashid for 42 runs in just 3 overs – the most expensive figures for an England spinner in T20 World Cup history. Their fearless approach brought Nepal firmly into control at 123/2 after 14 overs.
The game turned dramatically when Sam Curran dismissed Airee in the 15th over, breaking the crucial partnership. Dawson then removed Paudel, caught brilliantly by Phil Salt at long-on. From 139/4, Nepal needed 46 off 24 balls.
Lokesh Bam (39 off 20) led a spirited fightback, smashing Archer for 22 runs in the 18th over, including two massive sixes by reading his slower deliveries perfectly.
Needing 10 runs off the final over, Sam Curran delivered one of the great death-over spells under pressure. He bowled pinpoint yorkers at pace, conceding just 5 runs and taking a wicket.
Lokesh couldn’t get under the perfectly executed deliveries, and Nepal fell agonizingly short by 4 runs – their second heartbreaking close loss in consecutive T20 World Cups after the 1-run defeat to South Africa in 2024.
2nd Innings Best Performers
| Player | Performance |
|---|---|
| Best Batsman | Dipendra Singh Airee – 44 (29 balls, 6 fours, 1 six) |
| Best Bowler | Sam Curran – 1/27 (4 overs) |
