The night Wankhede belonged to Nepal, and Airee

The noise from Wankhede Stadium on Sunday night resonated like an IPL fixture, matching the decibel levels of a Rohit Sharma six. Mike Atherton likened the atmosphere to a World Cup final—and he wasn’t far off.

Close to 20,000 Nepali fans virtually owned the stadium, generating such sustained volume that it felt as though the match was being played in Kathmandu, not in Mumbai.

It was Nepal’s first World Cup win in 12 years and perhaps one of the greatest moments in the country’s sporting history. The Nepali diaspora, spread across the United States and Europe, filled the stands alongside thousands who had travelled from the Himalayan kingdom, celebrating as if it were Dashain—the country’s most popular festival.

“I think Nepal has that kind of fan following,” said captain Rohit Paudel. “After India, only Nepal’s games were packed—completely packed. Fan-wise, you will not see any other Associate country with such a following.”

“We wanted to give them a win, to put a smile on their faces, because they have travelled a long way to support us. This win was very important to them.”

Nepal were on the cusp of victory against England but fell short. After meek surrenders against Italy and West Indies, they looked a different side on Tuesday—with Dipendra Singh Airee appearing a transformed batter.

Airee, who holds the world record for the fastest half-century (off nine deliveries), stepped up under pressure. With 71 needed off the last six overs, he launched an assault on the Scotland bowlers—striking four fours and three sixes—to score an unbeaten 50 off just 23 balls at a strike rate of 217.39.

“In this World Cup he has shown his abilities,” Paudel said. “We have to learn from him.”

Scotland captain Richie Berrington added: “A lot of credit has to go to Dipendra. He changed the whole momentum of that innings and we’ve seen him do it a few times now.”

The momentum shifted between the 15th and 16th overs when Airee and Gulshan Jha smashed three consecutive sixes, reducing the equation from 71 off 36 balls to 39 off 24. Nepal struck 11 sixes overall in their chase of 171, sealing the win with four balls to spare.

“Maybe it’s one of the best innings for me, especially while chasing,” Airee said. “A 23-ball 50 is very good. This kind of chase always gives motivation to the group.”

After four matches, Airee tops the scoring charts with 169 runs. The composure he showed under pressure and the range of shots he played are likely to draw attention from IPL franchises sooner rather than later.