4 min readFeb 8, 2026 08:11 PM IST
First published on: Feb 8, 2026 at 08:11 PM IST
Nepal may have walked off the field without the points, but their narrow defeat by four runs to England at the T20 World Cup in Mumbai on Sunday felt like a statement of intent rather than a setback.
Chasing 185 runs for victory, Nepal came agonisingly close to pulling off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament, falling short in the final moments despite needing just a handful of runs in the closing deliveries. The result echoed a familiar theme for the associate side – pride in competing toe-to-toe with elite opposition, tempered by the regret of failing to cross the line.
“I think it’s both. There is regret because we came very close and couldn’t get over the line, but at the same time, there is pride because we are competing against very strong teams like England. Being that close shows we are improving, so overall it’s a mix of pride and regret,” pacer Nandan Yadav said in the post-match press conference on Sunday.
Nepal’s chase began with intent, as Kushal Bhurtel got off the blocks quickly in the powerplay, a move Yadav said was fully aligned with their pre-match plans.
“We were very clear about our plan. We know how Kushal plays in the powerplay, so we were confident in him. The way we played in the middle overs was also according to plan. We stuck to what we discussed and trusted our process,” he said.
The match swung back in Nepal’s favour late in the innings when Lokesh Bam launched a flurry of sixes, reigniting hopes of a historic win. In the final over, Karan KC declined a single to keep Lokesh on strike – a decision Yadav backed fully.
“Lokesh was hitting really well,” Nandan explained. “At one stage, we were out of the game, but he brought us back with three or four sixes. It was better to keep the strike with him.”
Despite the heartbreak, Nepal were quick to identify the margins that proved costly. Indiscipline at the death with the ball and missed opportunities while batting ultimately tilted the contest England’s way.
“We need to focus more on our death bowling,” Nandan admitted. “We tend to give away more runs there. Even while batting, saving a few runs or taking more singles can change games like this.”
If the scoreboard showed defeat, the stands told a different story. The 17000-odd crowd, the majority clad in Nepal’s colours, turned the venue into a virtual home ground.
“That’s the love of our crowd,” Nandan said. “Wherever we go, it feels like home. We are really thankful to them and sorry we couldn’t give them the result.”
The performance has reinforced Nepal’s belief that they belong at this level. Having pushed multiple full-member nations to the brink in recent years, the team sees the England match as another step forward rather than a missed opportunity.
“We are improving in a good way,” the paceru said. “Games like this are good for us and for our cricket.”
“This was only our first game and it was very close,” Nandan said. “We still have a good chance of qualifying for the Super 8,” he added.
Nepal's Nandan Yadav, second left, celebrates the wicket of England's Jos Buttler, left, with teammates during the T20 World Cup cricket match between England and Nepal in Mumbai, India, Sunday,Feb. 8, 2026.(AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool) 
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