Mumbai, February 9: The T20 World Cup 2026 match held at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on Sunday was nothing short of thrilling. The Nepal cricket team showcased an outstanding performance, keeping the smiles off the faces of England’s players until the very last ball. Despite England’s victory by four wickets, thanks to Sam Curran’s strategic bowling in the final over, Nepal proved they should not be underestimated.
After the match, Nepal’s captain Rohit Paudel expressed immense pride in his team’s effort. “The boys gave it their all. I am very proud of them. The result did not go our way, but we put in 100% in every aspect of the game. Sam Curran bowled exceptionally well in the last over. We will improve from here. As a team, we need to give our 100%,” he stated.
Rohit emphasized that they did not come to the World Cup just to participate. “We will not take any team lightly,” he added.
Regarding the support from cricket fans in his country, Rohit noted their passion. “The entire Kathmandu came to support us here. I believe all of Nepal will be proud of us.”
England’s captain Harry Brook also praised Nepal’s performance after the match. “It was not easy at all; thankfully, we won. They played very well, and many teams do not take Adil Rashid as seriously as they should. I wish them the best for the rest of the competition,” Brook said.
England won the toss and opted to bat first, scoring 184 runs for 7 wickets, with Jacob Bethell contributing 55 runs, Harry Brook 53, and Will Jacks remaining not out at 39. Nepal managed to score 180 runs for 6 wickets in their 20 overs, falling short by just 4 runs. Needing 10 runs in the final over, they could only muster 5 runs, leading to their narrow defeat.