Nepal came agonisingly close to creating one of the greatest upsets in T20 World Cup history. The Himalayan underdogs, who narrowly lost to South Africa by a single run in the 2024 edition, suffered another heartbreaker on February 8 at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium—falling short by just one shot against two-time champions England. One final six would have sent shockwaves through world cricket and produced an upset of truly Himalayan proportions.
Chasing 185, Nepal needed ten runs off the last over—a daunting task for a side ranked 16th in the world, facing the No. 3-ranked T20I team. Yet, the Nepalese never appeared overawed. Throughout the match, they matched England shot for shot, forcing the champions to wrestle for control at times.
In a standout moment, Nepal smashed pacer Jofra Archer for 22 runs in a single over, including three towering sixes—a joint-worst over of Archer’s T20I career. Luke Wood followed with 14 runs in the next over, raising hopes of a sensational finish. However, Sam Curran executed perfect yorkers in the final over, and Lokesh Bham, who had attacked fearlessly earlier, failed to clear the boundary on the last delivery. England ultimately won by four runs, narrowly escaping defeat.
Nandan Yadav, one of Nepal’s key bowlers, expressed mixed emotions. “It’s a feeling of both pride and regret. We competed against a top-tier team like England and came extremely close to winning. It’s 50-50—pride and regret,” he said.
Historically, England have stumbled against Associate nations like the Netherlands and Ireland, but under captain Harry Brook and coach Brendon McCullum, the side remained composed. Strategic bowling changes and inputs from Jos Buttler proved decisive. Will Jacks, Player of the Match, described the victory as “a sense of relief and happiness. We simply aimed to win, and we did, while preparing ourselves for similar challenges ahead.”
Nepal’s performance underlined their rise in international cricket. The team has ambitions to gain Full Member status from the ICC by 2030, with aspirations to play Test cricket. To this end, they have launched a three-day domestic tournament and requested First-Class recognition from the ICC. Nandan noted, “We need to improve our domestic red-ball structure. Becoming a Test nation is a dream, but it’s a tough road ahead.”
Nepal’s T20 pedigree is already notable. Beyond giving South Africa a scare, they defeated West Indies in Sharjah last year. Skipper Dipendra Singh Airee, who scored 44 against England, holds the record for the fastest T20I fifty—reaching the milestone in just nine deliveries against Mongolia in 2023.
The passionate support of their fans was evident, with the 17,000-strong crowd at Wankhede cheering the underdogs throughout. Nandan said, “Our supporters make every ground feel like home. Their love and energy are incredible.”
With three more group-stage matches—against Italy (February 12), West Indies (February 15), and Scotland (February 17)—Nepal remain in contention for a Super 8 berth, buoyed by the confidence gained from this near-miraculous performance.
Nepal vs England T20 Match Summary
| Statistic | Nepal | England |
|---|---|---|
| Total Runs | 184/6 | 188/5 |
| Top Scorer | Dipendra Airee – 44 | Will Jacks – 45* |
| Key Overs | Archer 22 (3 sixes) | Final over 10 runs conceded |
| Margin | Lost by 4 runs | Won by 4 runs |
| Crowd Support | 17,000 | Mixed but supportive |
Nepal may have fallen short, but their performance heralds the emergence of a new cricketing force from the Himalayas—a side capable of challenging the elite on any given day.