Heartbreak for Nepal as Lokesh Bahadur's cameo nearly stuns England in epic Wankhede thriller

Nepal-England T20 World Cup 2026 clash end in thriller [Source: @S_News19/X.com]

England edged past Nepal in a thrilling Group C clash at the Wankhede Stadium. What looked like a mismatch on paper turned into a gripping contest that went down to the final over. 

England recovered from early trouble to post a strong total, while Nepal produced a fearless chase that pushed the former champions to the brink. 

In the end, experience just about held firm, but Nepal earned widespread respect with a performance full of belief, fight, and unforgettable moments.

Jacon Bethell rescues England after early setbacks

England’s innings began with early drama at the Wankhede. Phil Salt was dismissed on the second ball of the match. Sher Malla struck with his first delivery in T20I cricket. Salt went for an ambitious shot and was caught by Sandeep Lamichhane. England were 5/1 and immediately under pressure.

Jos Buttler tried to steady things. He played with intent and found the boundary regularly. Nepal kept attacking as Nandan Yadav removed Buttler in the fifth over. 

England slipped to 43/2 before Tom Banton failed to settle and was trapped lbw by Lamichhane soon after. The men in red eventually slipped to 57/3 inside the powerplay.

Jacob Bethell then changed the tempo. He batted with freedom and confidence and also punished loose deliveries. Bethell went on to score 55 off 35 balls with four boundaries and as many sixes to recover England’s innings.

Harry Brooks plays captain’s knock

After Bethell, captain Harry Brook supported him smartly. The pair built England’s best partnership of the innings, and England crossed 100 in the 12th over. 

Dipendra Singh Airee broke the stand. Bethell fell for a well-made 55 in the 14th over. Sam Curran could not add much and was dismissed cheaply. England were 137/5 after 15.3 overs and needed a strong finish.

But Brook kept going. He found the gaps and cleared the ropes when needed. Will Jacks then provided the final push as he attacked from ball one. 

His quick boundaries changed the momentum. Harry Brook was dismissed late, but Jacks continued the assault. England eventually finished on 184/7. It was a strong total, built on middle-order depth and a powerful finish. 

Nepal start the chase with belief

In the second inning, Nepal began the chase, knowing they needed something special. Kushal Bhurtel set the tone early. He played with freedom and attacked the pace bowlers. Boundaries came quickly in the powerplay. 

Aasif Sheikh supported him but could not stay long. He was caught off Liam Dawson in the fourth over. Bhurtel continued to press as he cleared the ropes once and found the gaps with ease. 

Will Jacks, however, stopped the momentum in the sixth over. Bhurtel was caught and bowled for a quick 29. Nepal ended the powerplay at 47/2, and the chase was alive. 

Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee then produced a brilliant partnership. Dipendra played the aggressor’s role and struck cleanly through the off side and over midwicket. Rohit held one end and timed his shots well. The pair added 82 runs and pushed Nepal close to the target. 

Nepal face heartbreak despite Lokesh Bam’s heroics

England fought back with quick wickets. Sam Curran removed Dipendra for 44 in the 15th over. Liam Dawson then dismissed Rohit soon after. Nepal were still in the hunt, but the tension rose. Aarif Sheikh hit a six but fell to Jofra Archer. But the required rate climbed.

Then came Lokesh Bam. He changed the mood in seconds. He attacked from ball one and smashed boundaries, and kept Nepal dreaming. The crowd stayed on its feet. Luke Wood removed Gulsan Jha late, but Bam kept going. 

He hammered Jofra Archer for 22 runs in the 18th over and finished unbeaten on 39 from just 20 balls

Nepal needed 10 runs in the last over. They fought till the final ball. Bam tried hard but failed to get boundaries as Sam Curran nailed perfect yorkers. 

In the end, Nepal fell short by just four runs. It was a heartbreaking finish, but a proud effort that showed Nepal belonged on this stage.