England beat resilient Nepal in final ball thriller

The England cricket team kicked off its T20 World Cup 2026 Group C campaign with a thrilling four-run win over Nepal at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.

Batting first, England, third in the ICC T20 team rankings, posted 184/7 on the board, powered by half-centuries from Jacob Bethell and captain Harry Brook.

World No. 16 Nepal almost pulled off a famous upset thanks to mature knocks by Dipendra Singh Airee, captain Rohit Paudel and a late cameo by Lokesh Bam. However, Sam Curran defended 10 runs in the final over to see England through.

Two-time T20 World Cup England suffered an early blow against Nepal as opener Phil Salt mistimed one straight to short fine leg in the second over, handing Sher Malla a wicket with the very first ball of his T20I career.

Jos Buttler and Jacob Bethell, however, kept England’s scoring rate high until the former was caught behind in the fifth over. Losing Tom Banton just after the powerplay ended left the former champions in a spot of bother, at 57/3.

Bethell and skipper Brook, though, ensured that Nepal couldn’t capitalise on the opening.

Bethell scored 55 off 35 balls before departing in the 14th over having stitched an important 71-run stand with his captain. It was the Englishman’s third T20I fifty.

England lost Sam Curran for cheap but Brook completed his sixth T20I half-century (53 off 32) to take England past 150.

Will Jacks then produced a late cameo (39 off 18) to take England to 184/7. He hit Karan KC for 21 runs off the final over of the innings.

Dipendra Singh Airee, with figures of 2/23, was the pick of the Nepal bowlers in the match.

Faced with a tough ask, Nepal made a confident start with Kushal Bhurtel going on the offensive early before Liam Dawson gave England the breakthrough by dismissing Aasif Sheikh in the fourth over.

Will Jacks then sent back the dangerous-looking Bhurtel in the final over of the powerplay as Nepal were reduced to 42/2. The Rhinos, though, didn’t fold under pressure as Rohit Paudel and Airee joined forces in the middle.

Both batted with immense maturity and stitched together an 82-run stand to keep Nepal in the game. Sam Curran finally brought the resilient partnership to an end by having Airee caught at deep cover six short of his fifty.

With 60 left to get off the final five overs and seven wickets in hand, Nepal were still in the fight.

The climbing required run rate, however, eventually took a toll as Paudel departed for 39 while trying to accelerate. The wicket, though, didn’t snuff out Nepal’s resistance.

Lokesh Bam walked out and went after the English bowlers with purpose. He hit Sam Curran for back-to-back boundaries before hoisting Jofra Archer for consecutive maximums in the 18th over, which yielded 22 runs.

Luke Wood conceded 14 off the penultimate over, which saw Bam smash two more boundaries, The English pacer redeemed himself with a wicket of the final ball as Nepal were left with 10 to get off the last six deliveries.

Bowling under pressure, Sam Curran conceded just four from the first five balls. Needing to hit a six for a famous win off the last ball of the match, Lokesh Bam, who finished with a brilliant 20-ball 39, could only manage a single.

England will take on fellow two-time champions West Indies in their second Group C encounter at the T20 World Cup on Wednesday.

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