England took their time. Sam Curran, entrusted with the crucial final over with 10 runs to defend, first consulted skipper Harry Brook before conferring with the experienced wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler.
Few would have predicted such scenes -- that the two-time champions would be forced into a mid-over huddle during their T20 World Cup 2026 clash against Nepal at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai yesterday. Nepal eventually lost by just four runs, but the message of the tournament so far has been clear: neither Nepal nor any of the other eight associate nations are at the 20-team marquee event merely to make up the numbers.
“I think full credit to Nepal. They were absolutely brilliant. We saw that it was tricky when we batted, but they played against us really well and took us right to the edge. They played brilliantly,” player-of-the-match Wil Jacks said, relief evident in his voice.
Even Jacks realised the tournament, which is yet to see an upset but already bore witness to the heavyweights being pushed to the brink a few times only on the second matchday, is only going to test England’s mettle even more in the coming days.
“They’ve obviously pushed us right to the edge there. If the surfaces continue to behave like that, it’s going to be crucial going forward [in this tournament],” Jacks added.
On the opening day of the 10th edition of the T20 World Cup, the Netherlands first gave 2010 champions Pakistan a massive scare in Colombo before the USA stretched defending champions and co-hosts India.
Scepticism was rife when the ICC expanded the tournament to 20 teams two years ago to give associate nations a greater platform. But the signs were already there then -- co-hosts USA beat Pakistan to reach the Super Eights, while Nepal came agonisingly close to defeating a full member nation, falling short by just one run in the group stage.
It was once again a close-margin agony for Nepal, but more than being heartbroken, they seem adamant to be closing the gap.
Chasing England’s 184 for seven always looked daunting, but Jofra Archer conceding 22 runs in the 18th over swung momentum back Nepal’s way and fuelled belief among a nation backed by a cricket-crazy fanbase. Lokesh Bam struck two sixes and Aarif Sheikh added another in that over, each blow greeted by a sea of red and blue in the stands that roared every run and wicket.
“The whole of Kathmandu, Nepal came here to support us. I think all of Nepal will be proud of us,” skipper Rohit Paudel said.
Paudel’s words also carried a warning for the established powers.
“We had belief when we came to this World Cup. We didn’t come here just to participate,” he said, adding that Nepal will only “improve from here”.
And judging by how close they pushed England, that promise no longer feels distant.
