England vs Nepal produced one of the most thrilling matches in T20 World Cup history. In front of a partisan Mumbai crowd, the defending champions escaped with a four-run victory. Nepal pushed England to the final ball before falling agonisingly short. In 2026, searches for “ENG vs NEP” remain high as fans relive this classic encounter. This guide covers the full scorecard, key moments and how England held their nerve.
Match Summary: England 184/7 vs Nepal 180/6
Competition: ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 – Group C
Date: 8 February 2026
Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Toss: England won the toss and elected to bat
Result: England won by 4 runs
Player of the Match: Will Jacks (England)
The Wankhede Stadium was painted in Nepali colours. Fans travelled from across the globe to support their team. The atmosphere was electric, resembling a home game for Nepal rather than a neutral venue. Unlike England’s comfortable win over Andorra, this was a nail-biter from start to finish [citation:4][citation:9].
First Innings: England Batting Scorecard
England struggled early against Nepal’s disciplined bowling attack. Here is the full batting card [citation:5][citation:8]:
| Phil Salt | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 50 | c Lamichhane b Malla |
| Jos Buttler (wk) | 26 | 17 | 5 | 0 | 152.94 | c Sheikh b Yadav |
| Jacob Bethell | 55 | 35 | 4 | 4 | 157.14 | c Bam b Airee |
| Tom Banton | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 40 | lbw b Lamichhane |
| Harry Brook (c) | 53 | 32 | 4 | 3 | 165.62 | c Malla b Yadav |
| Sam Curran | 2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 25 | b Airee |
| Will Jacks | 39* | 18 | 1 | 4 | 216.66 | not out |
| Jofra Archer | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 | run out |
| Liam Dawson | 0* | 0 | 0 | 0 | – | not out |
Extras: 5 (lb 1, w 4)
Total: 184/7 (20 overs)
Nepal Bowling Figures
Nepal’s bowlers kept England in check for most of the innings. Debutant Sher Malla struck with his first ball in T20I cricket, dismissing Phil Salt. Dipendra Singh Airee and Nandan Yadav took two wickets each [citation:1][citation:2][citation:8]:
Will Jacks’ Game-Changing Cameo
England were struggling at 137/5 after 15.3 overs. The total looked below par. Then Will Jacks arrived at the crease. Like Paddington’s unexpected adventures, Jacks turned the innings on its head. He smashed 39 runs off just 18 balls, including four sixes and one four [citation:2][citation:7].
His onslaught in the final overs saw England plunder 45 runs from the last three overs. He was named Player of the Match for this game-changing knock [citation:3].
Second Innings: Nepal Batting Scorecard
Nepal’s chase was fearless from the first ball. Here is their batting card [citation:5][citation:8]:
Extras: 10 (w 10)
Total: 180/6 (20 overs)
England Bowling Figures
England’s bowlers were tested to the limit. Sam Curran held his nerve in the final over [citation:1][citation:8]:
| Liam Dawson | 4 | 0 | 21 | 2 | 5.25 |
| Sam Curran | 4 | 0 | 27 | 1 | 6.75 |
| Will Jacks | 2 | 0 | 17 | 1 | 8.50 |
| Jofra Archer | 4 | 0 | 42 | 1 | 10.50 |
| Adil Rashid | 3 | 0 | 42 | 0 | 14.00 |
| Luke Wood | 3 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 10.33 |