England’s Sam Curran celebrates after winning against Nepal during the T20 World Cup cricket match in Mumbai, India, Sunday, February 8, 2026.
| Photo Credit: AP
More than 17,000 spectators — a vast majority draped in Nepal’s red and blue — packed the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday (February 8, 2026). When Lokesh Bam failed to find the boundary off the final two deliveries, a palpable sense of ‘so near, yet so far’ swept through the stands and across television screens worldwide as the Englishmen held their nerve to scrape home in their Men’s T20 World Cup opener.
With Nepal needing 10 off the last over, England medium pacer Sam Curran kept his composure to concede just five, restricting Nepal to 180 for six — four runs short of England’s 184 for seven. Had Lokesh (39 n.o., 20b, 4×4, 2×6) managed to connect cleanly even once against Curran’s clever variations, Nepal would have pulled off the first upset of the tournament.
Nepal’s late surge had ignited hope earlier. Lokesh’s two fortunate boundaries — thick edges flying either side of the wicket-keeper — off Curran in the 17th over injected belief into the chase. Still, with 46 needed off 18 balls, England remained the firm favourite. That equation shifted dramatically when Lokesh followed up with consecutive sixes — a lofted off-drive and a pull — as Jofra Archer’s 18th over yielded 22 runs.
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Lokesh then struck two boundaries off Luke Wood in the penultimate over to bring Nepal within touching distance. But Curran nailed his lengths in the final over, varying his bounce smartly and allowing England to pull off an escape.
Earlier, England was steadied by a 71-run stand off 45 balls between Jacob Bethell (55, 35b, 4×4, 4×6) and captain Harry Brook (53, 32b, 4×4, 3×6) after three early wickets. A late cameo from Will Jacks (39 n.o., 18b, 1×4, 4×6), which helped England score 33 in the final two overs, ultimately proved decisive in a contest England survived rather than dominated.
The scores
England 184/7 in 20 overs (Jacob Bethell 55, Harry Brook 53, Will Jacks 39 n.o., Dipendra Singh Airee 2/23, Nandan Yadav 2/25) bt Nepal 180/6 in 20 overs (Rohit Paudel 39, Dipendra 44, Lokesh Bam 39 n.o., Liam Dawson 2/21). Toss: England. PoM: Jacks.
Published – February 08, 2026 04:55 pm IST
