The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 witnessed a nail-biting contest in Match 5. England beat Nepal by just 4 runs in a Group C clash at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 8. Will Jacks was the star of the show: he smashed an unbeaten 39 off 18 balls and picked up 1 wicket for 17 runs, earning the Player of the Match Award.
For Nepal, Dipendra Singh Airee played a brilliant knock of 44 off 29 balls, and Lokesh Bam stayed unbeaten on 39 off 20 balls. Rohit Paudel chipped in with 39 off 34. However, Nepal fell short despite a strong chase, as the lower-order batters could not keep up with the rising required rate in the final overs.
Match Summary: ENG vs NEP
Here is the complete match summary of this thrilling Group C encounter:
| Details | Information |
|---|---|
| England Score | 184/7 (20 overs) |
| Nepal Score | 180/6 (20 overs) |
| Match Result | England won by 4 runs |
| Best Batting (ENG) | Jacob Bethell – 55 off 35 balls (4 fours, 4 sixes) |
| Best Batting (NEP) | Dipendra Singh Airee – 44 off 29 balls (6 fours, 1 six) |
| Best Bowling (ENG) | Liam Dawson – 2/21 in 4 overs (Econ: 5.25) |
| Best Bowling (NEP) | Dipendra Singh Airee – 2/23 in 3 overs (Econ: 7.66) |
| Player of the Match | Will Jacks (ENG) |
| Venue | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
England captain Harry Brook won the toss and elected to bat first. The decision looked risky early on as Phil Salt fell for just 1 in the second over. But Brook’s own half-century and Jacks’ explosive cameo at the death pushed England to a strong total of 184/7.
England Innings: 184/7 in 20 Overs
England had a shaky start in the powerplay. Phil Salt departed in just the second ball he faced, caught by Lamichhane off Malla’s bowling for only 1 run. Jos Buttler tried to counter-attack and scored 26 off 17 balls with 5 fours, but Nandan Yadav dismissed him at 43 in the 5th over.
Tom Banton came in and fell quickly, too. Sandeep Lamichhane trapped him lbw for just 2, and England slipped to 57/3 at the end of the powerplay. The situation looked tough for England at this stage.
Jacob Bethell and Harry Brook then steadied the ship with a crucial 4th-wicket partnership. They added 50 runs in 36 balls together, with Bethell leading the charge. Bethell reached his fifty off just 28 balls, hitting 4 fours and 4 sixes at an impressive strike rate of 157.14. He finished with 55 off 35 before Lokesh Bam caught him off Airee’s bowling.
Brook anchored the innings from the other end with a composed 53 off 32 balls, smacking 4 fours and 3 sixes at a strike rate of 165.62. He was eventually caught by Malla off Yadav, leaving England at 157/6 in the 19th over.
Will Jacks then took charge in the death overs. He smashed an unbeaten 39 off just 18 balls, cracking 1 four and 4 massive sixes at a stunning strike rate of 216.66. His late blitz helped England reach 184/7, adding vital runs in the final phase. Sam Curran (2 off 8) and Jofra Archer (1 off 3) could not contribute much, but Jack’s fireworks made all the difference.
England scored 57 runs in the powerplay for the loss of 2 wickets, reached 100 in 11.2 overs, and crossed 150 in 17.6 overs. The run rate of 9.20 was powered mainly by Bethell, Brook, and Jacks.
For Nepal, Dipendra Singh Airee was the pick of the bowlers with 2/23 in 3 overs at an economy of 7.66. Nandan Yadav also grabbed 2 wickets for 25 runs. Sandeep Lamichhane bowled a tight spell of 1/25 in 4 overs with an economy of 6.25. Karan KC and Kushal Bhurtel went wicketless but proved expensive, conceding 35 and 40 runs respectively.
Nepal Chase: 180/6 in 20 Overs
Nepal needed 185 runs to win and started with purpose. Kushal Bhurtel attacked from ball one, scoring 29 off 17 balls with 4 fours and 1 six at a strike rate of 170.58. He was caught and bowled by Jacks, giving England their first breakthrough at 37 in the 4th over.
Aasif Sheikh struggled at the crease and managed only 7 off 9 balls. Luke Wood got him caught by Wood off Dawson, and Nepal slipped to 42/2 after 5.2 overs. The powerplay yielded 47 runs for 2 wickets, and Nepal needed to rebuild quickly.
Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee then put together a match-changing partnership. They added 50 runs in just 34 balls for the 3rd wicket, with Airee playing the aggressor. Airee smashed 44 off 29 balls, hitting 6 fours and 1 six at a strike rate of 151.72. He was finally dismissed by Sam Curran, caught by Banton, at the score of 124.
Nepal reached 100 in 11.5 overs and crossed 123/2 at the second drinks break, with Paudel batting on 38 and Airee on 44. The chase was on track at this point. Rohit Paudel played a captain’s knock of 39 off 34 balls with 2 fours and 2 sixes, but he fell soon after the Airee dismissal, caught by Salt off Dawson at 126/4.
Aarif Sheikh came in and scored 10 off 8 balls before Jofra Archer sent him back, caught by Buttler at 146/5 in the 18th over. Gulsan Jha could only manage 1 off 2 balls before Luke Wood bowled him, leaving Nepal at 175/6 in the 19th over.
Lokesh Bam played a superb unbeaten knock of 39 off 20 balls with 4 fours and 2 sixes at a strike rate of 195.00. He kept Nepal in the hunt right until the end, but the regular fall of wickets at the other end made it impossible to pull off the chase. his Inning Gave Hopes of Victory to Nepal. Nepal finished at 180/6, falling short by just 4 runs.
Liam Dawson was England’s best bowler, picking up 2/21 in 4 overs with an excellent economy of 5.25. Will Jacks chipped in with 1/17 in 2 overs. Sam Curran (1/27), Luke Wood (1/31), and Jofra Archer (1/42) each grabbed a wicket. Adil Rashid went wicketless but conceded 42 runs in 3 overs, proving expensive on the day. Nepal’s extras totaled 10, all wides, which added to their final score.
Key Highlight: Player of the Match – Will Jacks Steals the Show
The English all-rounder delivered a complete performance that won this tight game for his team:
With the bat: 39* off 18 balls (1 four, 4 sixes) at a strike rate of 216.66. He came in when England needed quick runs at the death and delivered exactly that, smashing boundaries all around the Wankhede.
With the ball: 1/17 in 2 overs at an economy of 8.50. He picked up the crucial wicket of Kushal Bhurtel early in the Nepal chase, breaking the opening stand.
Jacks earned both the Player of the Match and CricInfo’s MVP award with 86.03 impact points. His unbeaten knock in the final overs proved to be the difference between the two sides. Without his late fireworks, England’s total would not have been enough to defend. He showed composure under pressure and played match-winning shots when his team needed them the most.
Conclusion: England Beat Nepal In A Nail-Biting Match At Wankhede
England started their T20 World Cup 2026 Group C campaign with 2 points and a win that boosted their confidence. Despite early batting troubles, they showed the ability to fight back through individual brilliance from Bethell, Brook, and Jacks. Nepal, on the other hand, proved they are no pushovers in this tournament.
Nepal’s batters made this a real contest. Airee, Paudel, and Bam all played fearless cricket and nearly pulled off what would have been a famous upset. The 4-run margin shows just how close they came. Nepal will take plenty of positives from this game as they look ahead to their remaining Group C matches.
This match showcased everything that makes T20 World Cup cricket exciting: dramatic momentum shifts, individual brilliance, and a finish that kept everyone on the edge of their seats until the very last ball.
