In what could have been the greatest upset in T20 World Cup history, Nepal narrowly missed out on a monumental victory against England, losing by just four runs in a heart-stopping clash at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium on February 8. The match, watched by a fervent 17,000-strong crowd, brought the cricketing world to its feet as the 16th-ranked nation pushed the two-time champions to the brink.

A Near-Perfect Storm

Chasing 185, Nepal remained in the hunt till the final ball, with crucial contributions from skipper Dipendra Singh Airee (44), Rohit Paudel (39), Lokesh Bam (39), and Kushal Bhurtel (29). The innings was highlighted by fearless strokeplay and remarkable composure under pressure. Just two overs before the finish, Nepal had smashed Jofra Archer—widely regarded as one of the most dangerous fast bowlers in the world—for 22 runs, including three sixes. The following over, off Luke Wood, yielded 14 more.

Ten runs off the last over, with momentum on their side, seemed well within reach. But Sam Curran's composed final over—bowling precise yorkers—denied Nepal the glory. Lokesh Bam, who had earlier demolished Archer, failed to clear the boundary on the final delivery, sealing a narrow escape for England.

England's Narrow Escape

"Right now, it's a sense of relief and happiness," said Will Jacks, who was named Player of the Match for his blistering 20-ball 45 in the death overs, which helped England post 184/6. "We came into this game simply trying to win, and that's what we've done. So, in that sense, it's job done."

Despite their top-order struggles, England managed to steady the ship through Jacks' cameo and sensible contributions from Harry Brook (41) and Ben Duckett (37). However, it was their calm tactical execution in the death overs—backed by former skipper Jos Buttler’s on-field guidance—that ultimately saved them from embarrassment.

A Proud, Yet Heartbroken, Nepalese Camp

For Nepal, the result evoked a bittersweet mix of pride and regret. Nandan Yadav, one of their standout bowlers, expressed the team's emotions: "I think I feel both. Sometimes there is regret and sometimes pride as well, because we are competing against such a good team like England and we came really close to winning the game. So I think it's 50-50 for us—pride, and obviously regret as well, because we were really close."

The performance reinforced Nepal's growing reputation in world cricket. Having previously pushed South Africa to the last ball in the same tournament and defeated the West Indies in a bilateral series in 2023, Nepal is proving they belong on the global stage.

Ambitions Beyond Associate Status

The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has set its sights on becoming a Full Member of the ICC by 2030. As part of that vision, they’ve launched a three-day domestic tournament and are seeking First-Class status for it. However, Nandan acknowledged the challenges: "We need to improve our domestic circuit, red-ball cricket and everything which we don't have right now. So it's a dream for me as well to become a Test Nation. But yeah, it's a tough job to [do] now, I think. "

Despite the loss, the team remains optimistic about qualifying for the Super 8 stage. "We've only played our first game so far and it was very close, so we are not really behind in the Super 8 race. I think we still have a good chance of making the Super 8," Nandan said.

Fans and the Future

The outpouring of support from Nepalese fans—both in the stands and online—was impossible to ignore. At one stage, even English supporters were seen cheering for the Himalayan underdogs. "That's the love of our crowd. They always support us. Wherever we go, it feels like a home ground for us. I'm really thankful for that—to all the supporters," said Nandan.

With upcoming matches against Italy (February 12), West Indies (February 15), and Scotland (February 17)—all at the Wankhede—Nepal may have found a spiritual home in Mumbai. Their fearless cricket and passionate fanbase suggest that while the Himalayan-scale upset didn’t happen this time, it may only be a matter of time.