In a thrilling T20 World Cup encounter, Nepal showcased their fighting spirit, nearly achieving a historic upset against England despite falling just short of the target.
Key Points
- England scored 184-7, setting a challenging target for Nepal in their T20 World Cup match.
- Nepal mounted a strong chase, with key contributions from Kushal Bhurtel, Rohit Paudel, and Dipendra Singh Airee.
- Lokesh Bam's late hitting, including consecutive sixes off Jofra Archer, brought Nepal close to victory.
- Nepal captain Rohit Paudel expressed pride in his team's performance and belief in their ability to compete at the World Cup.
A mismatch seemed likely after England’s captain Harry Brook (53) and Jacob Bethell (55) fired the side to 184-7, a total that looked beyond the reach of Nepal, a tier-two ICC nation.
Yet Rohit Paudel and his teammates refused to roll over, mounting a spirited chase that came agonisingly close to a historic upset.
Kushal Bhurtel (29), Paudel himself (39), and Dipendra Singh Airee (44) kept Nepal in contention, while Lokesh Bam’s late blitz, including back-to-back sixes off Jofra Archer, sent shivers through the English camp.
Nepal Captain's Reaction
Reflecting on the near-miracle, Paudel said, “I’m very proud of the boys. We came into this World Cup believing we could compete, not just participate. Today, we gave our best in every department, and even in disappointment, the effort was there. The support from Kathmandu was incredible -- I think all of Nepal will be proud of us.”
On their approach in the chase, he added, “We were calculating, keeping wickets in hand and aiming for 10 runs an over in the last few overs. Taking on Rashid wasn’t planned, it just happened in the moment. We’ll learn from today and come back stronger.”
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