Mumbai- Nepal suffered a narrow four-run defeat against England in their opening match of the ICC T20 World Cup, falling just short in a tense chase. Pursuing a target of 185 runs, Nepal managed 180 for the loss of six wickets in the allotted 20 overs. Needing 10 runs in the final over, set batter Lokesh Bam was at the crease, but Nepal could not cross the line.
Nepal began the chase aggressively with openers Kushal Bhurtel and Asif Sheikh putting pressure on the English bowlers early on. However, the momentum dipped after Asif Sheikh was dismissed in the fourth over, followed soon by Bhurtel in the sixth. Bhurtel scored 29 runs off 17 balls, striking four boundaries and a six, as Nepal slipped to 42 for 2.
The innings was steadied by captain Rohit Poudel and vice-captain Dipendra Singh Airi, who stitched together a vital 82-run partnership for the third wicket. Their stand brought Nepal back into contention and briefly put England under pressure. The breakthrough came in the 15th over when Sam Curran dismissed Dipendra, halting Nepal’s charge.
Dipendra scored 44 runs off 29 balls with six fours and a six. During this innings, he became the first Nepali cricketer to complete 2,000 runs in T20 Internationals. Captain Rohit Poudel was dismissed shortly after, scoring 39 runs off 34 balls with two fours and a six. Arif Sheikh contributed 10 runs off eight balls as Nepal’s chase lost momentum in the closing overs.
Earlier, England, after winning the toss and opting to bat first, posted 184 runs for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs. Jacob Bethell top-scored with 55 runs off 35 balls, hitting four fours and four sixes, while captain Harry Brook added 53 runs off 32 balls. Will Jacks provided a strong finish with an unbeaten 39 off 18 balls.
England had a shaky start as opener Phil Salt was dismissed on the very first ball by debutant Sher Malla. Reduced to 57 for 3, England recovered through a 71-run fourth-wicket partnership between Bethell and Brook, which proved crucial in setting a competitive total.
For Nepal, Dipendra Singh Airi and Nandan Yadav claimed two wickets each, while debutants Sher Malla and Sandeep Lamichhane took one wicket apiece. Despite the loss, Nepal’s performance against a top-ranked side reflected growing competitiveness on the global stage.
