England's Batting Woes
Opting to bat on a seasoned pitch, England encountered early setbacks. Sher Malla's maiden T20I wicket saw Phil Salt depart swiftly. Despite this, Jacob
Bethell displayed aggressive form, dispatching short balls with authority and helping England reach 57 for 2 by the end of the powerplay. Sandeep Lamichhane further applied pressure, trapping Banton LBW on his first delivery. Bethell continued his dominant stroke play, reaching his fifty with consecutive sixes, while Harry Brook attacked Lamichhane effectively through the off-side. However, Nepal's bowlers, including Dipendra Singh Airee who dismissed both Bethell and Curran, managed to pull things back. Lamichhane concluded his spell economically. Brook reached his half-century with a maximum in the 18th over but was out on the subsequent ball. The innings concluded with a dramatic flourish as Will Jacks smashed Karan KC for three sixes in the final over, yielding 21 runs and setting a challenging target of 185 for Nepal.
Nepal's Bold Chase
Nepal's pursuit of 185 began with impressive confidence, spearheaded by Kushal Bhurtel's aggressive batting against Jofra Archer. He peppered the off-side with boundaries, followed by more powerful shots, propelling Nepal to a rapid 31 for 0 in just three overs. Liam Dawson broke the opening stand by dismissing Aasif Sheikh, which subsequently slowed the scoring rate and led to Bhurtel's downfall, caught by Jacks. As Adil Rashid entered the attack, Nepal rediscovered their momentum, with Dipendra Singh Airee taking charge. Airee employed the sweep and reverse-sweep effectively, capitalizing on England's struggles in the middle overs. A significant over saw Rohit Paudel and Airee plunder 19 runs off Rashid, marking the most runs conceded by an England spinner in T20 World Cup history (42). Despite this resurgence, Airee's crucial 44-run innings ended when he holed out to Tom Banton, ending an 82-run partnership. Paudel also fell to Dawson, allowing England to regain control. Lokesh Bam then ignited a thrilling fightback, hitting boundaries off Sam Curran to reduce the equation to 46 off the final three overs. Bam continued his onslaught, hitting three sixes off Archer to bring the target within reach at 24 off 12 balls.
Curran's Heroics Seal Victory
In a dramatic conclusion, Lokesh Bam kept Nepal's hopes alive, hitting Luke Wood for a boundary off the first ball of the final over and then lofting him for a six, bringing the required runs down to just 10. This set the stage for a gripping finish, with Nepal needing a mere 10 runs from the last six deliveries. However, it was Sam Curran who held his nerve, delivering a masterclass in death bowling. He executed his yorkers with precision, conceding only five runs in the over. This clinical performance by Curran ensured England secured a narrow four-run victory, preventing what would have been a historic upset for Nepal. This heartbreaking defeat echoed Nepal's one-run loss to South Africa in the previous edition of the ICC T20 World Cups, highlighting their consistent fighting spirit in the tournament.
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