In a historic match against England, Nepal fell four runs short in their T20 World Cup clash on Sunday. However, Nepal didn’t fall short on drawing widespread international acclaim.
After pushing a heavyweight like England to the brink in a global tournament, the first person to react was Dale Steyn. His message was simple but powerful. “Nepal, I offer my services to you if you ever need ’em! Up, up and UP!” he wrote, a line that quickly gathered traction among supporters who were already swelling with pride. For a fast-bowling great to publicly extend encouragement in that fashion spoke volumes about the impression Nepal had made.
Reactions From Other Legends
A similar sentiment was echoed by other legends like Ravichandran Ashwin, who noted that Nepal has firmly established itself as a leader among emerging nations. “Incredible from Nepal. They are surely among the best of the emerging cricketing nations. Huge potential and upside,” Ashwin remarked, highlighting the technical growth the team has shown on the world stage.
Similarly, Indian legend Yuvraj Singh, who hit 6 sixes in an over, took to the internet to post a heartfelt tribute. He praised the way the side took on one of the best teams in the world and put up a strong fight until the final delivery.
He went on X to write,” Huge respect to Nepal. Took on one of the best teams in the world, stayed in the fight till the very last ball, and showed what belief and heart can do! This is how teams grow, and this is how champions rise. The cricketing world is watching”
Despite the defeat, former England cricketer Michael Vaughan lauded Nepal’s performance calling it “a fantastic game of Cricket” and praising the “exceptional” skill shown by the Nepal players.
The praise was equally high in the commentary box. Former England captain Nasser Hussain noted that England appeared “genuinely rattled” by the intensity of the Nepali chase and the deafening support in the stands.
Praising their opponents, England batter Harry Brook admitted his side had been pushed hard. “It wasn’t easy at all, but thankfully we got over the line. They played extremely well. Not many teams take on Adil Rashid the way they did, and I thought they handled him outstandingly. They put us in tricky situations on quite a few occasions as well,” Brook said, as quoted by Cricbuzz.
Nepal’s performance sent ripples to the international media as well with media outlets like The Guardian and Al Jazeera described the match as the “scare England desperately wanted to avoid,” with analysts pointing out that Nepal’s ability to take the game to the final ball against a “well-oiled machine” like England proves the gap between Associate and Full members is rapidly closing.
Nepal and England Match Summary
England posted 184 for 7 after recovering from 57 for 3 in Mumbai on February 8, 2026. Jacob Bethell (55) and Harry Brook (53) scored half-centuries to rebuild the innings following early wickets. Nepal’s debutant Sher Malla dismissed Phil Salt off his first ball, while Jos Buttler (26) and Tom Banton also fell inside the powerplay. Will Jacks’ unbeaten 39, featuring three sixes in the final over off Karan KC, lifted England to a competitive total.
Chasing 185, Nepal came agonizingly close to their biggest sporting victory, reaching 180 for 6. Dependra Singh Airee (44) and captain Rohit Paudel (39) put together an 82-run partnership off 54 balls, reducing the target to 62 runs off the final six overs. Lokesh Bam’s explosive 39 not out, including back-to-back sixes off Jofra Archer in the 19th over, brought the equation down to 10 runs needed off the last over.
However, Sam Curran‘s nerveless final over, conceding just five runs with accurate yorkers, sealed England’s four-run victory and left Nepal heartbroken once again after their one-run loss to South Africa at the 2024 T20 World Cup. Liam Dawson took 2 for 21 for England, while Adil Rashid went wicketless for the first time in 25 T20 internationals.
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What’s Next
Nepal will face tournament debutants Italy in their second Group C match on February 12, 2026, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The match is scheduled to start at 3:00 PM local time (9:30 AM UTC).
Following the loss to England, Nepal currently sits in fourth place in the Group C standings with zero points. West Indies lead the group after their victory over Scotland, with England in second place thanks to their narrow win. The top two teams from each of the four groups will advance to the Super 8 stage, which runs from February 22 to March 1.
Nepal is competing in Group C alongside two-time champions England and West Indies, Scotland, and Italy. After the Italy match, Nepal’s remaining group fixtures will see them face the West Indies and Scotland as they aim to secure one of the two qualification spots for the Super 8s. The tournament, running until March 8, features semifinals on March 4-5 and the final on March 8.
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