England Pull Off Powerful Escape in Wankhede Thriller: Nepal Agonizingly Close to History

The iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai has witnessed many historic moments, but few carried the raw, emotional weight of the Group C clash between England and Nepal in the 2026 T20 World Cup. On a raucous Sunday evening, in front of a sea of blue and red that made the venue feel more like Kathmandu than Mumbai, the world nearly witnessed the greatest upset in the tournament’s history. By the skin of their teeth, the England Pull Off Powerful Escape in a match that will be remembered long after the trophy is lifted.

Nepal, a team that captain Rohit Paudel famously described as “used to climbing mountains,” arrived with a belief that transcended their status as cricketing underdogs. Chasing a target of 185, which seemed like a Himalayan summit for a tier-two nation, they fell just four runs short. In a game that swung like a pendulum, the fact that England Pull Off Powerful Escape is a testament to the individual brilliance of Sam Curran in the final over, rather than a display of collective dominance by the defending champions.

A Shaky Start for the Champions

The afternoon began with a sense of unease for the English camp. After winning the toss and electing to bat, Harry Brook’s side was immediately put under the pump. The 23-year-old Sher Malla, making his international debut, lived the dream by taking a wicket with his very first ball. Phil Salt, mistiming a shot, found Sandeep Lamichhane at short fine leg, and the Wankhede erupted.

When Nandan Yadav dismissed Jos Buttler with a delivery that cramped the former captain for room, England looked genuinely rattled at 57 for three. It was only through the resilience of Jacob Bethell (55 off 35) and Harry Brook (53 off 32) that the innings found some stability. Even so, the Nepalese spinners, led by the experienced Lamichhane, choked the run flow. England Pull Off Powerful Escape

It was only a late, blistering cameo from Will Jacks—who plundered 39 off just 18 balls—that pushed England to 184. Without Jacks’ final-over fireworks against Karan KC, it is highly unlikely we would be discussing how England Pull Off Powerful Escape today.

Nepal’s Fearless Response

If England expected Nepal to crumble under the scoreboard pressure, they were mistaken. Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh set the tone early, treating Jofra Archer and Luke Wood with a lack of respect that bordered on the audacious. While both openers fell inside the powerplay, they left a platform for the game’s defining partnership.

Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee spent nine overs silencing the England supporters and igniting a frenzy among the Nepalese faithful. They played with a maturity that masked their lack of experience against top-tier opposition. Even Adil Rashid, England’s most reliable weapon, found no sanctuary. Rashid, who had not gone wicketless in 28 T20s, was hit out of the attack repeatedly. England Pull Off Powerful Escape

His three overs went for 42 runs, an average of 14 per over, as Airee and Paudel manipulated the field with surgical precision. At that moment, the narrative seemed set for a historic upset, making the eventual reality that England Pull Off Powerful Escape even more shocking.

The Turning Point and Lokesh Bam’s Brilliance

The match turned when Sam Curran finally broke the 82-run stand, removing Airee for 44. Shortly after, Liam Dawson dismissed Paudel for 39. England felt they could finally breathe, but Lokesh Bam had other ideas. Walking into a pressure cooker, Bam played an innings of pure, unadulterated aggression. He smashed consecutive sixes off Jofra Archer, sending a wave of asphyxiation back through the English dugout.

Bam’s unbeaten 39 off 20 balls brought Nepal to a point where they needed just 10 runs off the final over. The momentum was entirely with the chasing side. The stadium was a wall of sound, and England looked like a team searching for answers they didn’t have. Yet, in the cauldron of the Wankhede, the England Pull Off Powerful Escape because of the “ice in the veins” of Sam Curran.

Curran’s Final Stand

Sam Curran, tasked with defending 10 runs, chose to back his execution of the yorker. The first five balls of the over were a masterclass in death bowling, conceding only five runs and keeping Lokesh Bam from finding the boundary. It came down to the final ball: Nepal needed six for a miracle, and a four for a super over. Curran fired in a low full toss that Bam couldn’t quite get under. As the ball was drilled to long-off for a single, the relief in the English camp was palpable.

This was a narrow escape in every sense of the word. The way England Pull Off Powerful Escape suggests they have significant soul-searching to do before their next fixture against the West Indies. For Nepal, it was a “fighting loss” that felt like a victory in terms of respect and stature.