With 10 runs needed from six balls, Nepal stood on the precipice of cricketing immortality—a nation of mountains daring to topple giants. This was Sunday’s crescendo to a weekend that had already shattered assumptions. The Netherlands had nearly ambushed Pakistan. The United States had bloodied India. Now Nepal, cricket’s underdogs, had England by the throat. Sam Curran managed to break free of the noose, to let England breathe and live for another day. As the sun set over Mumbai on Sunday, one thing crystallised: the 2026 T20 World Cup would spare no one. Not Pakistan. Not India. And certainly not England, who escaped with their pride just about intact but their invincibility shattered. The giants had been warned. The minnows had teeth. In a thrilling chase of 185, Nepal fell agonisingly short by just four runs in a contest that swung one way then the other till the very end. With six needed off the final ball of the game, Lokesh Bam, who had given Nepal hope with some belligerent late-order hitting, could only manage a single of Sam Curran’s low full toss. Dipendra Singh Airee arrived at the World Cup with questions hanging over his form, having managed just one score of fifty or more in his previous five outings. For Nepal to harbour genuine hopes of progressing, runs from their most experienced middle-order batter were essential, and Airee responded with an innings that combined audacity with composure. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ICC (@icc) The right-hander walked in at 42 for 2 in the sixth over after Kushal Bhurtel had given Nepal the ideal start with an aggressive Powerplay. England, sensing an opportunity to apply the brakes, had already turned to spin, introducing Will Jacks and Liam Dawson inside the fielding restrictions, with Adil Rashid held back as a trump card. Also Read | T20 World Cup | Nepal captain Rohit Paudel after nearly stunning England at Wankhede Stadium – ‘We didn’t come here to just participate’ Airee wasted little time settling in. Two boundaries in his first seven balls allowed him to ride the momentum provided by Bhurtel and put immediate pressure back on the bowlers. Rashid was introduced shortly after the first six overs, a situation that theoretically favoured England’s premier spinner. Airee, however, disrupted that plan instantly, reverse-sweeping Rashid to the boundary. It was a statement shot that hinted at what was to follow. In partnership with captain Rohit Paudel, Airee began to pace the chase with impressive clarity. While he was happy to use the long handle when required, his ability to rotate strike ensured that the asking rate never went out of control. Trump card overturned Rashid’s leg-spin was met with improvisation, while Jacks’ off-spin was handled with a more orthodox approach. Airee cut and swept Jacks for two boundaries in the eighth over, forcing England captain Harry Brook to reshuffle his options.Story continues below this ad Paudel played the ideal foil at the other end. He kept the scoreboard ticking with singles and twos, punctuating his innings with the occasional boundary. The fireworks, though, largely came from Airee. In the 12th over, he drove Rashid through the covers before producing the most audacious stroke of the match a few balls later, switch-hitting a full delivery deep into the stands and leaving the crowd and opposition stunned. At 123 for 2 after 14 overs, Nepal were firmly in the contest and, for a brief moment, appeared to have edged ahead. The drinks break, however, proved a turning point. Airee fell soon after the resumption, dismissed for 44 by Curran, ending an 82-run stand that had placed Nepal on the cusp of a famous result. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ICC (@icc) England sensed an opening and applied the squeeze immediately. The following over yielded just two runs, and the pressure told when Paudel attempted to accelerate, only to be dismissed for 39 by a superb catch by Phil Salt. With 46 runs required from the final three overs, the responsibility shifted to Nepal’s lower order amid a crowd that grew louder with every delivery. The chase reignited when Bam took on Jofra Archer, launching him for two sixes in a single over to swing momentum back in Nepal’s favour. Luke Wood struggled to contain the surge in the next over, spraying the ball and allowing Bam to capitalise, leaving Nepal needing just 10 runs from the final over. The task of preventing an upset fell to Curran. Under immense pressure, the left-armer executed his plans to perfection, mixing pace and length to deny the batters clean contact and sealing a narrow victory that England will reflect upon with relief.Story continues below this ad Earlier, England’s innings was shaped by a vital 71-run stand for the fourth wicket between Jacob Bethell and Brook, which rescued them from 57 for 3. Bethell set the tone early with two fours and a six in his first four balls, while Brook provided stability. Late fireworks from Jacks, who struck 39 off 20 balls, lifted England to 184 for 6. Brief scores: England 184/6 in 20 overs (Jacob Bethell 55, Harry Brook 53; Dipendra Singh Airee 2/23) beat Nepal 180/6 in 20 overs (Airee 44, Rohit Paudel 39; Liam Dawson 2/21) by four runs.
ICC T20 World Cup: Nepal almost pull off monumental upset before England survive with a bloody nose
