ICC T20 World Cup 2026: England survive heart-stopping Nepal charge at the Wankhede
England narrowly defeated Nepal by just four runs at Wankhede Stadium, marking a historic "David vs. Goliath" clash as despite spirited efforts from Nepal's Lokesh Bam, Nepal fell short by 4 runs.
Last Updated: 07.37 PM, Feb 08, 2026
In what will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the greatest "David vs. Goliath" battles in T20 World Cup history, England narrowly escaped a monumental upset, defeating Nepal by just four runs at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday. Nepal pushed the defending champions to the absolute limit, but eventually fell short of the total by just four runs.
Nepal’s spinners stun the English batters
Electing to bat first, England’s world-class batting lineup was immediately knocked off its feet by Nepal’s disciplined bowling.
Phil Salt was dismissed in the second over to debutant Sher Malla, setting the early tone for the Himalyan side.
While Jacob Bethell (55 off 35) and captain Harry Brook (53 off 32) hit half-centuries to provide a platform for England, they were never allowed to break free and score at their desired pace.
Nepal’s spinners, led by Sandeep Lamichhane (1/25) and Dipendra Singh Airee (2/23), utilised the spin on the surface to suffocate the English batters.
However, the game-changing moment came from Will Jacks as he hammered an unbeaten 39 off just 18 balls to take England's total from 137/5 to 184/7.
The Rhinos charged back with the bat
Nepal’s chase began with fearless intent. Despite losing Aasif Sheikh early to the subtle turn of Liam Dawson, Kushal Bhurtel (29) made sure that the powerplay remained productive for the Associate nation.
The real drama, however, arrived in the middle overs as captain Rohit Paudel (39) and the talismanic Dipendra Singh Airee (44) added a clinical 82-run partnership for the third wicket.
They even had stars like Jofra Archer and Luke Wood rattled. Airee’s departure in the 15th over briefly swung the momentum back to England, but Lokesh Bam had other ideas as he took Nepal close to what could be a historic moment.
Read also: ICC T20 World Cup 2026: Netherlands' dropped-catch' hands Pakistan hazardous full points.
A grandstand finish in Mumbai
With 46 runs needed off the final three overs, Lokesh Bam unleashed a breathtaking assault. Lokes had everyone at the edge of their seats by scoring an unbeaten 39 from 20 balls.
He attacked the pace of Archer and Wood and kept finding the gaps with surgical precision.
The match came down to the final over with Nepal needing 10 runs. But it was Sam Curran, who was able to hit the right length to keep Bam off strike.
Despite a valiant effort that saw Nepal reach 180/6, England held their nerve to win by the skin of their teeth. Sam Curran (27/1), Liam Dawson (2/21) and Will Jacks (1/17) were the unsung heroes with the ball for England to hand them full points in Mumbai.