The Wankhede Stadium stayed loud in the England vs Nepal T20 World Cup 2026 game. Most pundits thought the English giants would walk through this one. Instead, the game turned into an instant classic. England barely survived, winning by just four runs.
England vs Nepal: 5 Turning Points That Denied Nepal A Historic Win In The T20 World Cup 2026
It was a heartbreaker for Nepal in the England vs Nepal T20 World Cup 2026 game, but they left the field with their heads high. They chased 185 with real grit. In the end, a few specific plays swung the momentum back toward England. Here are the five moments in the England vs Nepal T20 World Cup 2026 game that kept the Rhinos from pulling off a massive upset in Mumbai.
1. Will Jacks’ 20th Over Rampage
That final over of the English innings changed the math for everyone. Karan KC had bowled well until that point. Then he ran into Will Jacks. England sat at 163 before the 20th over started. Jacks tore the script up. He smashed three huge sixes and snatched 21 runs from those last six balls.
That late surge pushed England to 184/7. Since Nepal only lost by four, those extra runs gave Harry Brook’s side the exact breathing room they needed. Without that late burst, Nepal would have only needed a very reachable 164.
2. The Brook-Bethell Counter-Attack
Nepal had England on the ropes early. Nandan Yadav and Sher Malla tore through the top order, leaving the favourites wobbling at 57 for three. You could feel the tension. But Harry Brook and Jacob Bethell didn’t blink.
They put on 71 runs for the fourth wicket and steadied the collapse with smart, aggressive hitting. Bethell hit a smooth 55, while Brook added 53. They kept the scoreboard moving through the middle overs. Their stand stopped England from falling apart against the associate nations’ spinners.
3. Curran Snaps the Airee Resistance
Dipendra Singh Airee looked like he was going to win the game by himself. He was timing everything, racing to 44 off just 29 balls. He and captain Rohit Paudel put together a partnership that brought the required rate way down.
Then Sam Curran changed the England vs Nepal T20 World Cup 2026 game in the 15th over. He outsmarted Airee with a clever change of pace. Airee mistimed a big shot, and the ball went straight to Tom Banton. That wicket killed Nepal’s momentum just as they started to look like the favourites.
4. Dawson Removes the Anchor
Liam Dawson landed a huge blow right after Airee left. Rohit Paudel played the anchor role perfectly with a steady 39. He was the glue holding the innings together while others took the risks, essentially acting as Nepal’s insurance policy.
Dawson knew he needed a breakthrough and tossed one up to tempt him. Paudel bit on the flight and mistimed his stroke. Liam Dawson caught it himself to send the captain back. Losing two set batters that quickly forced the new guys to take huge risks right away. It made the finish much harder than it needed to be.
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5. The Final Over Nerves
Nepal needed ten runs off the last six balls to win the England vs Nepal T20 World Cup 2026 game. Sam Curran stood at his mark while the whole stadium watched. Lokesh Bam was still there on 39 and looked dangerous. But Curran didn’t miss his spots.
He kept Bam off the strike early and kept changing his pace to keep the tail-enders guessing. He only gave up five runs. He nailed his yorkers, forcing the batters to scramble for singles. That tight finish meant Nepal’s brave charge fell just a few yards short.
