Nepal vs England Match Scorecard,T20 ICC World Cup 2026 witnessed its most electric finish yet as two-time champions England narrowly avoided a historic upset against a spirited Nepal side. In a match that swung like a pendulum at Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede Stadium, England’s experience at the death barely stifled a heroic Nepalese run-chase, resulting in a tense 4-run victory for the Three Lions.
Nepal vs England Match Scorecard,T20 ICC World Cup Match Overview:
Toss: Nepal won the toss and elected to bowl first.
England: 184/7 (20 overs)
Nepal: 180/6 (20 overs)
Result: England won by 4 runs.
Player of the Match: Will Jacks (39* off 18 balls and 1/17 with the ball).
In front of a raucous crowd—dominated by the blue and red of Nepal—captain Rohit Paudel won the toss and elected to field. Nepal’s disciplined bowling and sharp fielding initially stifled England, but half-centuries from debutant Jacob Bethell (55) and skipper Harry Brook (53) propelled the total to 184/7.
Nepal’s reply was nothing short of legendary. Led by a massive 82-run partnership between Dipendra Singh Airee and Paudel, and a late-game assault by Lokesh Bam, Nepal needed 10 runs off the final over. However, Sam Curran delivered a masterclass in death bowling, conceding only five runs to save England from a seismic defeat.
Detailed Match Scorecard: Player-by-Player Statistics
England Innings: 184/7 (20 Overs)
England’s innings was a story of two halves. After losing early wickets to Nepal’s disciplined bowling, a massive 71-run stand between Jacob Bethell and Harry Brook rebuilt the innings before Will Jacks provided the final flourish.
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Philip Salt | c Lamichhane b Malla | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Jos Buttler (WK) | c Aasif b Nandan | 26 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 152.94 |
| Jacob Bethell | c Bam b Airee | 55 | 35 | 4 | 4 | 157.14 |
| Tom Banton | lbw b Lamichhane | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 40.00 |
| Harry Brook (C) | c Malla b Nandan | 53 | 32 | 4 | 3 | 165.63 |
| Sam Curran | b Airee | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 25.00 |
| Will Jacks | Not Out | 39 | 18 | 1 | 4 | 216.67 |
| Jofra Archer | Run out (Aasif) | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Liam Dawson | Not Out | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | – |
| TOTAL | (7 Wickets, 20 Overs) | 184 |
Nepal Bowling Performance
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
| Dipendra Singh Airee | 3.0 | 23 | 2 | 7.70 |
| Nandan Yadav | 3.0 | 25 | 2 | 8.30 |
| Sandeep Lamichhane | 4.0 | 25 | 1 | 6.25 |
| Sher Malla | 3.0 | 35 | 1 | 11.70 |
Nepal Innings: 180/6 (20 Overs)
Nepal chased with incredible heart. A middle-order masterclass from Dipendra Singh Airee and Rohit Paudel set the stage, while Lokesh Bam’s late-game assault nearly pulled off the impossible.
| Batter | Dismissal | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Kushal Bhurtel | c & b Jacks | 29 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 170.59 |
| Aasif Sheikh (WK) | c Wood b Dawson | 7 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 77.78 |
| Rohit Paudel (C) | c Salt b Dawson | 39 | 34 | 2 | 2 | 114.71 |
| D.S. Airee | c Banton b Curran | 44 | 29 | 6 | 1 | 151.72 |
| Aarif Sheikh | c Buttler b Archer | 10 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 125.00 |
| Lokesh Bam | Not Out | 39 | 20 | 4 | 2 | 195.00 |
| Gulsan Jha | b Wood | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Karan KC | Not Out | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| TOTAL | (6 Wickets, 20 Overs) | 180 |
England Bowling Performance
| Bowler | Overs | Runs | Wickets | Econ |
| Liam Dawson | 4.0 | 21 | 2 | 5.25 |
| Sam Curran | 4.0 | 27 | 1 | 6.75 |
| Will Jacks | 2.0 | 17 | 1 | 8.50 |
| Luke Wood | 3.0 | 31 | 1 | 10.33 |
| Jofra Archer | 4.0 | 42 | 1 | 10.50 |
| Adil Rashid | 3.0 | 42 | 0 | 14.00 |
The Key Highlights
1. A Debut to Remember: Jacob Bethell
Coming in with England struggling at 5/1, young Jacob Bethell showed nerves of steel. He became only the second Englishman in history (after Kevin Pietersen) to score a half-century on T20 World Cup debut. His 55 off 35 provided the foundation for a competitive total.
2. The Airee-Paudel Masterclass
The turning point for Nepal was a historic 82-run partnership for the third wicket. Dipendra Singh Airee—who became the first Nepalese batter to cross 2,000 T20I runs during this innings—targeted Adil Rashid with precision, smashing 19 runs off the leg-spinner’s third over to put England on the defensive.
3. Lokesh Bam: The “Wankhede” Warrior
With 46 runs needed off the final three overs, Lokesh Bam launched a stunning counter-attack. He hammered two massive sixes off Jofra Archer and two boundaries off Luke Wood, bringing the equation down to 10 runs off 6 balls. His 39* off 20 balls will go down as one of the bravest cameos in associate cricket history.
4. Sam Curran’s Ice-Cold Final Over
Tasked with defending 10 runs, Sam Curran showcased why he is one of the best death bowlers in the world. He nailed three consecutive yorkers to Karan KC and Lokesh Bam, allowing only five runs in the over. As Bam failed to get the necessary six off the final delivery, England erupted in relief rather than celebration.
Toolbar: Group C Standings
| Team | Played | Won | Points | Next Match |
| England | 1 | 1 | 2 | vs West Indies (Feb 11) |
| West Indies | 1 | 1 | 2 | vs England (Feb 11) |
| Nepal | 1 | 0 | 0 | vs Scotland (Feb 13) |