Nepal vs England Match Summary & Scorecard — T20 World Cup 2026 Thriller in Mumbai

There are some cricket matches that grip you slowly — a desperate single here, a tactical battle there — and then, unexpectedly, you realize you’ve watched something special.

That’s exactly what happened on 8 February 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, where Nepal took on England in one of the most talked-about encounters of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

This was not a mismatch by any stretch.
This was a statement game.

By the time it finished, fans were comparing it to classic T20 tussles; neutrals were applauding Nepal’s courage; and even seasoned analysts were admitting they didn’t expect the contest to be this close.

In a World Cup full of big names and high expectations, this contest stood out not because of a giant score or a last-ball six, but because it felt alive right till the end.

🏟 Match Overview: England vs Nepal — A Competitive Contest

• Match: 5th Match, Group C
• Tournament: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026
• Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, India
• Result: England won by 4 runs
• Player of the Match: Will Jacks (England)

Seen from the stands or on TV, the atmosphere was uniquely electric. The heat of a late afternoon in Mumbai softened by sea breeze, fans cheering every boundary like it was a final — not a group match.

England batted first, but they weren’t comfortable. Nepal chased fiercely, almost rewriting expectations.

🏏 England Innings: Building With Grit, Not Flash

England’s innings didn’t explode from the first ball. It ebbed and flowed, until it finally found rhythm through the careful approach of two batters who refused to blink under pressure.

📊 England Innings (20 Overs)

Batsman	Runs	Balls	4s	6s	Strike Rate
Philip Salt	1	2	0	0	50.00
Jos Buttler (wk)	26	17	5	0	152.94
Jacob Bethell	55	35	4	4	157.14
Tom Banton	2	5	0	0	40.00
Harry Brook (c)	53	32	4	3	165.63
Sam Curran	2	8	0	0	25.00
Will Jacks*	39	18	1	4	216.67
Extras	6	—	—	—	—

Total: 🔥 184/7 (20 overs)
(England chose to bat after winning the toss)

England’s approach wasn’t about brute force. It was about construction — placing the ball where fielders weren’t, choosing singles wisely, and picking boundaries that didn’t cost wickets.

Jacob Bethell, still early in his international career, played with assured timing that reminded even Indian fans of high-pressure knocks from decorated T20 arenas like the IPL. Harry Brook, captaining with poise, stepped up when the innings needed calm. Then Will Jacks exploded late; his 39* off 18 balls wasn’t just quick scoring — it was meaningful acceleration under pressure.

This wasn’t England at their most dominant, but it was England at their most efficient.

🏹 Nepal’s Chase: Steady, Brave — and Nearly Historic

When Nepal walked out to chase 185, the crowd sensed something unusual in the air.

You could almost feel it — the collective pulse of over 30,000 people cheering every clean strike, every agile sprint between wickets, every dot ball that kept tension alive.

This wasn’t just a chase. It was confidence in action.

📊 Nepal Innings (20 Overs)

Batsman	Runs	Balls	4s	6s	Strike Rate
Kushal Bhurtel	29	17	4	1	170.59
Aasif Sheikh	7	9	1	0	77.78
Rohit Paudel (c)	39	34	2	2	114.71
Dipendra Singh Airee	44	29	6	1	151.72
Aarif Sheikh	10	8	0	1	125.00
Lokesh Bam (not out)	39	20	4	2	195.00
Gulshan Jha	1	2	0	0	50.00
Karan KC (not out)	1	1	0	0	100.00
Extras	10	—	—	—	—

Total: 💥 180/6 (20 overs)

You won’t see a traditional “partnership” here — instead, what you notice is momentum maintained. Spare runs were taken; boundaries were found; silences were broken with energetic running between the wickets.

Rohit Paudel ushered in calm control. Dipendra Singh Airee played the kind of dynamic innings that tells bowlers, “You’re not going to push me around.” And late in the innings, Lokesh Bam brought explosive intent, lifting Nepal’s chances to within touching distance in the final over.

At one point, needing a boundary off the last ball felt realistic — realistic in a way that reflects how far Nepal’s cricket has matured.

🧠 Notable Match Details

• England were put under pressure early but recovered with half-centuries from Bethell and Brook to post a competitive 184/7.
• Will Jacks’ rapid 39 off 18 balls* gave England crucial late-innings momentum and earned him Player of the Match.
• Nepal responded with grit — Airee, Paudel, and Bam all made impactful contributions to keep the chase alive.
• Sam Curran’s final over was decisive, conceding only five runs to defend a tight total.

🎯 Bowling Highlights: Discipline & Strategic Execution

Bowling was tight from both sides, but Nepal’s men didn’t give up ground easily.

England’s Liam Dawson and Sam Curran churned out disciplined overs, while Luke Wood and Jofra Archer mixed pace and angles that chipped Nepal’s chase.

On the Nepal side, Dipendra Singh Airee and Nandan Yadav showed clever variations — slowing the pace at key moments and forcing England into mounting singles rather than boundaries.

This wasn’t a match dictated by pace or spin alone — it was dictated by how well bowlers adapted to batsmen and conditions.

🧠 Deciding Moments

The key to this match wasn’t a single big hit or an extraordinary fielding moment.
It was mental balance.

England didn’t panic when early wickets fell.
Nepal didn’t freeze when the required rate climbed.

That mutual refusal to bow out made each over feel like a new chapter.

In the 18th–20th overs, when runs mattered most, England’s death bowling quietly closed gaps and minimized boundary opportunities. Nepal never folded — but in T20 cricket, small defenses matter as much as big hits.

📌 What This Match Means

This Nepal vs England game won’t just be remembered for “England won by 4 runs.”
It will be remembered because:

✔ A nation that was once considered an underdog fought toe-to-toe with a cricket heavyweight.
✔ Nepal’s players showed temperament, power, and intelligent batting.
✔ England’s experience pulled them through, but not without serious resistance.
✔ Fans witnessed a true contest — tense, layered, and unpredictable.

For India and its enormous cricket audience, this match felt intimate rather than distant. It felt like cricket growing — not just expanding — and audiences loving it.

🔥 Full Scorecard Summary

England Batting

Total: 184/7 (20 overs)

Top scorers:

• Jacob Bethell – 55
• Harry Brook – 53
• Will Jacks – 39*

Bowling (Nepal):

• Dipendra Singh Airee – 2/23
• Nandan Yadav – 2/25
• Sandeep Lamichhane – measured overs

Nepal Batting

Total: 180/6 (20 overs)

Top scorers:

• Dipendra Singh Airee – 44
• Rohit Paudel – 39
• Lokesh Bam – 39*

Bowling (England):

• Liam Dawson – 2/21
• Sam Curran – 1/27
• Luke Wood – consistent spells

📌 Key Match Moments (Brief)

• England set a commanding total with middle-overs scores from Bethell and Brook and late fireworks by Will Jacks.
• Nepal’s chase was aggressive and competitive — paced through Airee, Paudel, and finished with a powerful cameo from Lokesh Bam.
• Needing only a boundary on the final ball to win, Nepal fell agonizingly short as Sam Curran held his nerve in the death over.

📈 People Also Ask (FAQs)