England narrowly avoided a massive upset in their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign opener as Nepal pushed the former champions to the limit in Mumbai on February 8. Harry Brook's side relied on a standout 55 from debutant Jacob Bethell and a quickfire 39 off 18 balls from Will Jacks to provide a late surge to post a challenging target of 185. Despite the challenging total, Nepal remained undeterred, fueled by a vocal crowd at the Wankhede Stadium and a resilient middle-order performance.
Heartbreak for Nepal as England survive scare in 4-run T20 World Cup thriller
The chase gained serious momentum through an 82-run partnership between Dipendra Singh Airee (44) and captain Rohit Paudel (39). The pair showed no fear against England’s elite bowling attack, notably taking down star leg-spinner Adil Rashid, who conceded 42 runs in just three overs. However, when both set batters fell in quick succession, England seemed to regain control, only to be met by a ferocious late-innings assault from Lokesh Bam.
Bam breathed life back into the contest by hammering consecutive sixes off Jofra Archer, leaving Nepal needing 10 runs from the final over. With the game on the line, Sam Curran displayed nerves of steel, nailing his yorkers to concede only five runs. Lokesh Bam, who finished unbeaten on a valiant 39 off 20 balls, was unable to find the boundary on the final delivery, leaving Nepal just four runs short of a historic victory and sparing England from a major tournament shock.
Harry Brook's captain's knock for England
Earlier, batting first, England posted a challenging total of 184/7. The charge was led by young debutant Jacob Bethell and skipper Harry Brook, who both struck aggressive half-centuries to dismantle the opposition's bowling attack. Bethell was particularly impressive, reaching his fifty in just 35 balls with a flurry of four sixes and four fours, while Brook anchored the middle overs with a vital 32-ball 53, helping the pair establish a 71-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
Despite England’s dominance, Nepal’s bowlers managed to provide several moments of inspiration. Sher Malla made an immediate impact by dismissing Phil Salt on the first ball of his second over, and Nandan Yadav claimed the crucial wicket of Jos Buttler (26) just as he was beginning to look dangerous. Spinner Sandeep Lamichhane also contributed by trapping Tom Banton leg-before, momentarily checking England’s progress on a surface that proved much more manageable than it had for India the previous night.The final flourish came from Will Jacks, who ensured England finished on a high after both set batters departed. Jacks hammered four sixes and a boundary in a rapid cameo of 39* off only 18 deliveries, as England plundered 45 runs from the final three overs. Their clinical finish left Nepal with a daunting target of 185.
Nepal will next face Italy on February 12 while England will take on West Indies on February 11.