Thrilling ICC T20 World Cup Debut: Nepal Pushes England to the Brink
The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai was a sea of red and blue on Sunday afternoon as thousands of Nepali fans, many travelling from hundreds of miles away, converged to witness their national team, the Rhinos, take on cricketing giants England in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. The atmosphere crackled with anticipation as the underdogs prepared to challenge the two-time T20 World Cup champions.
By 3 PM, the stadium was a vibrant spectacle, with Nepali fans filling the stands and proudly waving their iconic triangular flag. It quickly became evident that the crowd’s allegiance was overwhelmingly with Nepal, with roars of approval greeting every Nepali wicket and hushed silence falling when England found the boundary. The ebb and flow of the nail-biting contest mirrored this dynamic atmosphere, keeping spectators on the edge of their seats.
The tension reached its peak in the final over, with Nepal needing six runs off the last two deliveries to achieve a stunning upset. Lokesh Bam, on 39 off 19 balls, was at the crease, facing Sam Curran, who was tasked with defending 10 runs.
England had posted a formidable 184/7, a score Nepal’s bowlers had managed to keep relatively in check. Nepal’s batting response had been spirited, reaching 175/6 by the end of the 19th over. Bam had been instrumental in this late surge, smashing two consecutive sixes off Jofra Archer in the 18th over and two fours off Luke Wood in the 19th.
However, the final two deliveries proved insurmountable. Bam, attempting to clear the boundary on both occasions, could only manage a single off the second-to-last ball. A crucial decision was made not to attempt a risky single with Karan KC, who was at the other end. Had they opted for the single and KC managed to hit a boundary on the final ball, the narrative of the match might have been drastically different.
During the post-match press conference, Nandan Yadav addressed the decision, stating, “It is better to have a batsman who is hitting sixes at such a moment. Karan dai can hit big, but he too felt that Lokesh was the best option then.” Bam remained unbeaten on 39 off 20 balls, his dejection evident as he fell to his knees with his head down after crossing the crease for the final run.
England’s Will Jacks acknowledged the scare, commenting, “Full credit to Nepal. They were outstanding everywhere.” When asked about his feelings during the tense final over, he admitted, “Very nervous. My heart was thumping. Sam did well to defend it.”
England’s Innings: A Solid Foundation
While England’s total of 184/7 was considered below their usual batting standards, it still appeared a comfortable score given their bowling prowess. Key contributions came from Jacob Bethell, who scored 55 off 35 balls, and Harry Brook, who added 53 off 32. Will Jacks provided a late surge with a blistering 39 off just 18 deliveries, propelling England past the 180-run mark. For Nepal, Dipendra Singh Airee and Nandan Yadav each claimed two wickets, while Sher Malla and Sandeep Lamichhane picked up one apiece.
A memorable moment for Nepal came on the debut ball of Sher Malla in a World Cup match. In his second over, he struck by dismissing Phil Salt, providing an early breakthrough for his team.
Nepal’s Resilient Chase
Nepal’s chase began positively with Kushal Bhurtel scoring 29 off 17 balls. A significant partnership for the third wicket between captain Rohit Kumar Paudel and vice-captain Dipendra Singh Airee, a 54-ball 82-run stand, ignited hopes of a historic victory.
Dipendra Singh Airee etched his name in history during this innings. While attempting to reach his fifty with a six, he was caught out. However, in the 14th over, bowled by Adil Rashid, he struck a four and a six off consecutive deliveries to reach 44 off 28 balls. This milestone made Airee the first Nepali player to surpass 2,000 T20I runs.
Captain Rohit Kumar Paudel departed for 39 off 34 balls, also in pursuit of a boundary. His dismissal left Nepal at 126/4 in the 15.3 overs. The chase appeared to falter with the quick wickets of Aarif Sheikh (10 off 8) and Gulshan Kumar Jha (1 off 2). However, Lokesh Bam reignited Nepal’s hopes against the Lions.
“I was waiting for a bad delivery by Sam Curran in the last over to hit it for a six, but it was not meant to be,” Bam reflected. “The teammates said I played well, but I am personally disappointed.”
Despite the loss, the fighting spirit displayed by Nepal against a seasoned T20I team left their fans immensely proud. The supporters remained until the Rhinos completed a lap of honour, reciprocating the team’s gratitude and pledging their continued support for upcoming matches.
Mutual Admiration and Future Prospects
Will Jacks expressed his admiration for Nepal’s performance, noting, “Winning ugly is a good trade. It was not as expected for us as the game went to the end.” He specifically praised Bam’s six off a slow ball from Archer, calling it “what a good shot.” Jacks added that there were “several moments today by Nepali batters where I said it was a good shot.”
England captain Harry Brook echoed this sentiment during the post-match presentation: “It wasn’t easy at all, thankfully we got over the line. They played extremely well, not many teams take Adil Rashid down the way they did.” The two most expensive bowlers for England, Adil Rashid and Jofra Archer, both conceded 42 runs in their four overs, with Archer managing only one wicket.
Nepal’s skipper Paudel, while acknowledging the result, focused on the effort: “Result-wise, it did not go our way, but effort-wise. It is hard for bowlers in death overs to bowl, especially Yorkers, those slow bouncers. Sam Curran bowled really well. But I think we will improve.”
A Nod from a Legend
During the post-match press conference, a journalist shared a significant social media post from South African cricket legend Dale Steyn. Steyn had tweeted, “Nepal I offer my services to you if you ever need em! Up, up and UP!” Nandan Yadav, upon hearing this, expressed his excitement and emphasized the potential impact for Nepali cricket. “He [Steyn] ruled cricket for 10 years,” Yadav stated. “We can approach him. the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) can.”
Despite the narrow defeat, Nepal remains optimistic about their Super 8 qualification chances. Yadav commented, “We have a good chance of qualifying for the Super 8. It was just our first match, and the net run rate was also not affected much.”
Nepal now has a period of rest before their next group-stage fixture against Italy on Thursday. They will then face two-time T20 World Cup champions West Indies on February 15 and Scotland on February 17.
