Nepal created history with their first-ever T20 World Cup victory, chasing down Scotland’s 170/7 with seven wickets to spare at the Wankhede in Mumbai – a result made all the sweeter by a raucous home crowd that roared them home throughout.
Scotland appeared firmly in control after Michael Jones blazed 71 off 45 balls to anchor an 80-run powerplay stand, only for Sompal Kami to dismantle the innings with a devastating knuckle-ball spell that dismissed both Jones and Brandon McMullen in consecutive deliveries, triggering a collapse of 6/39 in the final five overs.
Nepal’s chase never looked in doubt once Dipendra Singh Airee arrived, launching an explosive unbeaten 50 off just 23 balls to finish what Kushal Bhurtel (43) and Aasif Sheikh (33) had started, silencing Michael Leask’s triple-wicket burst and guiding Nepal to a famous win with four balls remaining.
Match Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Match | Scotland vs Nepal, T20 World Cup, Group C |
| Venue | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| Result | Nepal won by 7 wickets |
| Scotland | 170/7 (20 overs) |
| Nepal | 171/3 (19.2 overs) |
| Player of the Match | Dipendra Singh Airee (50* off 23) |
| Toss | Nepal won and chose to field |
First Innings Highlights
Scotland stormed out of the blocks as Michael Jones and George Munsey added 80 runs in the first ten overs without being separated.
Jones was the dominant partner, greeting Sandeep Lamichhane with a flat six over his head, pulling Nandan Yadav for back-to-back fours and repeatedly threading the backward point region at will.
He brought up his fifty off 31 balls before Munsey (27 off 29, 4 fours) was removed by Rohit Paudel, caught at long-off.
With Scotland at 131/1 in the 16th over and Jones on 71, Sompal Kami turned the match on its head.
His knuckle-ball cleaned up Jones through the gate as Scotland’s most threatening batter made room and missed, before a stunning caught-and-bowled off his own follow-through dismissed Brandon McMullen (25 off 19) next ball.
Nandan Yadav then bowled Matthew Cross through the stumps with a leg-stump yorker before trapping Michael Leask caught behind via a review. Scotland lost 6 wickets for just 39 runs in the final five overs, finishing well short of what their start deserved.
| Category | Player | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Best Batsman | Michael Jones | 71 runs (45 balls, 8×4, 3×6) |
| Best Bowler | Sompal Kami | 4-0-25-3 |
Second Innings Highlights
Nepal’s chase began at a blazing pace as Kushal Bhurtel smashed three sixes off Mark Watt in a single 23-run over – the most scored by Nepal in an over in T20 World Cup history – before Aasif Sheikh flicked one over fine leg to add to the carnage.
The pair posted Nepal’s first 50-run opening stand in T20 World Cups before Michael Leask struck with his first ball, removing Bhurtel (43 off 35, 1 four, 4 sixes) caught at mid-wicket.
Leask then dismissed Aasif Sheikh (33 off 27, 2 sixes) and Rohit Paudel (16) to bring Scotland briefly back into the contest at 100/3. But Dipendra Singh Airee had other ideas.
He launched consecutive sixes off Leask in the 16th over, slashed Wheal over backward point for a maximum and drove with breathtaking timing as Nepal needed just six off the final over.
Gulsan Jha (20* off 16) lofted the first ball for six to all but seal the win before Airee reached his fifty off 22 balls with a boundary, completing a famous victory.
| Category | Player | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| Best Batsman | Dipendra Singh Airee | 50* runs (23 balls) |
| Best Bowler | Michael Leask | 4-0-30-3 |
