Nepal miss out on causing upset of Himalayan scale

At the 2024 T20 World Cup, Nepal came agonizingly close to a monumental upset, falling short by just four runs against England in Mumbai.

Chasing 185, Nepal needed 10 runs off the final over. Despite having smashed 22 runs off Jofra Archer's over earlier and 14 off Luke Wood's, they could not finish the job against Sam Curran's precise yorkers. Lokesh Bam, who had launched three sixes off Archer, failed to clear the fence on the final ball.

"We are competing against such a good team like England and we came really close to winning the game," said Nepal bowler Nandan Yadav, describing the team's feeling as "50-50" between pride and regret.

For England, it was a narrow escape. Player of the Match Will Jacks called it a "jailbreak" and a source of "relief and happiness." England's collective planning, including input from Jos Buttler to captain Harry Brook, helped them avoid what could have been a historic defeat.

Nepal's chase was built on key contributions: Dipendra Singh Airee (44), Rohit Paudel (39), Lokesh Bam (39), and Kushal Bhurtel (29). They matched England throughout, only losing control in the final over where Jacks' late assault proved decisive.

The match highlighted Nepal's rising status. The Cricket Association of Nepal aims for Full ICC Membership by 2030 and has launched a domestic three-day tournament, seeking First-Class status. "It's a dream for me as well to become a Test Nation," Yadav admitted, while acknowledging the need to improve their domestic red-ball circuit.

Nepal's passionate fans, nearly 17,000 strong at the Wankhede, created a home-ground atmosphere, even drawing cheers from some English supporters. "Wherever we go, it feels like a home ground for us," Yadav said.

Despite the loss, Nepal has not given up on a Super 8 berth. They have three group games remaining: against Italy (February 12), West Indies (February 15), and Scotland (February 17), all at the Wankhede Stadium.