England vs Nepal – ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026: 1st Innings Match Report England navigated a spirited and highly disciplined challenge from the Nepalese bowlers to post 184 for 7 at the Wankhede Stadium. In a match that felt like a home game for Nepal due to the massive traveling support in Mumbai, the defending champions were pushed to their limits before a late-innings explosion gave them a defendable total. The match began with an iconic moment in Nepal’s cricket history. Debutant Sher Malla was brought on in the second over and took a wicket with his very first ball in international cricket, dismissing Phil Salt (1) who chipped a simple catch to mid-off. The Wankhede erupted as England’s vaunted opening pair was broken instantly. Jos Buttler (26) tried to rebuild, but he too fell to the medium pace of Nandan Yadav, leaving England in unfamiliar territory at 38 for 2 during the powerplay. England’s middle-order stability came from an unlikely duo. Jacob Bethell, playing in his first World Cup, showed maturity beyond his years to score a fluent 55 off 35 balls. He was joined by Harry Brook, who played the anchor role to perfection before accelerating to reach his own half-century (53 off 32 balls). Together, they put on 71 runs, navigating the tricky leg-spin of Sandeep Lamichhane, who conceded only 22 runs in his four-over quota. The momentum swung back toward Nepal in the 16th over thanks to Dipendra Singh Airee. In a sensational spell, he removed both set batters—Bethell and Brook—in the same over, before returning to dismiss Sam Curran (2). Airee’s triple-strike reduced England from a comfortable 128 for 3 to a nervous 138 for 5, giving Nepal a genuine chance to bowl out the world champions for a sub-160 score. However, Will Jacks proved why England’s batting depth is so feared. Coming in at number seven, Jacks hammered an unbeaten 39 off just 18 balls. He reserved his best for the final over, where he decimated Karan KC for 21 runs, including two massive sixes that cleared the stadium roof. This late surge propelled England to 184, a total that felt 20 runs too many for a valiant Nepal side that had dominated large stretches of the innings.

Will Jacks' explosive 39* off 18 balls lifted England to 184/7 against Nepal in T20 World Cup 2026 at Wankhede. Dipendra Singh Airee takes 3 wickets. Full 1st innings match report.