In a thrilling Group C T20 World Cup 2026 clash at the Wankhede Stadium, England narrowly escaped a historic upset against a fearless Nepal side on February 8, 2026. Chasing a target of 185, Nepal pushed the 2022 champions to the final delivery, losing by a mere four runs in a contest that saw momentum swing wildly.

The associate nation matched England’s power and tactical intensity, leaving the world giants visibly rattled until the dying moments. For England, the victory was a relieved survival rather than a dominant statement, as their bowling attack struggled to contain Nepal’s aggressive middle order. This thriller has immediately become the talk of the tournament, highlighting the closing gap between cricket’s elite and its rising forces. The result keeps England’s campaign on track, but not without exposing significant vulnerabilities in their death-over execution.

T20 World Cup 2026: Jacob Bethell and Harry Brook help England with a bat against Nepal

The encounter at the Wankhede Stadium was a gripping affair as Nepal’s ‘Rhinos’ pushed the former champions to their absolute limits throughout a tense afternoon. After Harry Brook won the toss and opted to bat, Nepal’s Sher Malla produced a dream start, dismissing Phil Salt for just 1 run with his very first delivery in international cricket, sending the Mumbai crowd into a frenzy. England found themselves in early trouble at 64/3 in the 7th over after

Sandeep Lamichhane trapped Tom Banton LBW, but the momentum shifted during a vital 71-run partnership between Jacob Bethell and skipper Harry Brook. Jacob Bethell was the star of the show, smashing a brilliant 55 off 35 balls with four sixes and four boundaries, becoming only the second England player after Kevin Pietersen to score a fifty on his T20 World Cup debut.

Brook matched the intensity with 53 off 32 balls before falling to Nandan Yadav. Despite a late-innings wobble where Dipendra Singh Airee removed both Bethell and Sam Curran, Will Jacks provided the final fireworks with an unbeaten 39 off 18 balls*, lifting England to a commanding 184/7. Nepal’s bowlers remained disciplined, with Dipendra Airee (2/23) and Nandan (2/25) leading the charge to keep the contest alive until the very last ball of the innings.

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Sam Curran holds nerve in final over as Nepal falls agonizingly short of historic T20 World Cup 2026 upset

Chasing 185, Nepal launched a fearless counter-attack that stunned the England bowling attack and kept the Wankhede crowd on the edge of their seats. Kushal Bhurtel provided a rapid start with 29 runs, but it was the magnificent 82-run partnership between captain Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Airee that truly threatened to upend the world champions.

Airee was particularly destructive, scoring 44 off 29 balls and becoming the first Nepalese player to reach 2,000 T20I runs in the process, while Paudel anchored the chase with a composed 39. However, Liam Dawson (2/21) and Curran managed to break the stand just as the required rate began to climb.

Nepal refused to surrender, as Lokesh Bam played a scintillating cameo of 39 off 20 balls*, smashing Jofra Archer and Luke Wood for boundaries to bring the equation down to 10 runs needed off the final over. With the game on the line, Sam Curran showcased his experience under extreme pressure, nailing his yorkers and conceding only 5 runs. Nepal ended their innings at 180/6, losing by a heartbreaking 4-run margin in what will be remembered as one of the closest Associate challenges in tournament history.

Here’s how fans reacted:

Nepal

I offer my services to you if you ever need em!
Up, up and UP!

— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) February 8, 2026

Incredible from Nepal.@NepalCricket

They are surely one of best amongst emerging cricketing nations.

Huge potential and upside.👏 #icct20worldcup2026

— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) February 8, 2026

The comms by @CricketBadge was absolutely brilliant .. Loved the insights into all the Nepal team .. 🙌🙌🙌

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) February 8, 2026

Huge respect to Nepal🇳🇵Took on one of the best teams in the world, stayed in the fight till the very last ball and showed what belief and heart can do! 🫡 This is how teams grow and this is how champions rise 👏🏻 The cricketing world is watching!#ENGvsNEP #ICCT20WORLDCUP…

— Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) February 8, 2026

Heartbreak for Nepal. I don’t think any team will underestimate them from here. And after these first couple of days I hope no one doubts the value of having an expanded T20 World Cup.

— Melinda Farrell (@melindafarrell) February 8, 2026

Nepal, Netherlands, Afghanistan & USA have all had a proper crack at far more fancied and resourced opponents. 20 team World Cups are good for the game in the era of franchise cricket ✅ https://t.co/nL5XkOqszV

— Tom Morris (@tommorris32) February 8, 2026

Every #T20WorldCup it just feels like Nepal are getting one step closer to the top shelf. Their massive fan base is ready for the rise. They’ve been ready & waiting for a long time. What a performance tonight in Mumbai

— Bharat Sundaresan (@beastieboy07) February 8, 2026

Having seen Nepal’s cricketing circuit closely late last year, I got a first hand view of how deeply they love the sport. The cultural similarity we share with them reflects in their equally deep rooted love for the game too. Saw several Nepalese fans travelling from Delhi to…

— Priyank Panchal (@PKpanchal09) February 8, 2026

All the moaning about how having a T20 WC every 2 years is overkill was coming almost entirely from Full Member player/media voices. USA played 0 T20Is v FMs since end of 2024 T20 WC. Today was Nepal’s 1st ever match v England. If not at a T20 WC, when do Associates get a chance?

— Peter Della Penna (@PeterDellaPenna) February 8, 2026

🤯 NEPAL PUSH ENGLAND TO THE LIMIT!

A nail-biter at Wankhede as England escape with a 4-run win.

One of the most thrilling games of #T20WorldCup2026 🏏🔥

Scorecard: https://t.co/nHvDdS48NF#Cricket #Nepal #NepalCricket #ENGvNEP #ENGvsNEP #Wankede #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/ANnxccHdku

— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) February 8, 2026

Also READ: Jacob Bethell equals Kevin Pietersen with rare England feat in T20 World Cup 2026 match vs Nepal

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