England vs Nepal: Late Jacks Blitz Powers England to 184 in T20 World Cup 2026 Clash

England’s T20 World Cup 2026 opener at Wankhede turned into a proper contest rather than a routine start, as Nepal’s sharp bowling kept the defending champions in check before a late surge lifted England to 184 for 7 in a high-tempo clash.

Opting to bat in the England vs Nepal fixture, England expected a fast start on a batting-friendly surface but ran into early discipline. Sher Malla and Nandan Yadav struck inside the Powerplay to remove Phil Salt and Jos Buttler after a brisk cameo, cutting short what looked like a dangerous stay. 

With England briefly stalled, Jacob Bethell rebuilt the innings with authority and smart shot selection. He handled spin confidently and targeted the shorter boundary, bringing up a polished half-century that restored tempo. Harry Brook worked around him with controlled aggression, rotating strike and punishing loose balls to keep the scoring rate healthy through the middle phase.

Nepal refused to fade. Dipendra Singh Airee delivered a key double blow to remove both set batters and momentarily tilt the game back toward the associate side. Their ground fielding and catching stayed sharp, cutting off several boundary options and forcing England to rethink their finishing plan.

That plan arrived through Will Jacks. Walking in during the closing overs, he changed the tone of the innings with clean ball-striking and fearless intent. His rapid cameo, packed with towering sixes, added crucial late runs and pushed the total beyond the par mark for this T20 World Cup 2026 match at the venue.

Nepal now face a demanding chase but have already shown they can stretch top sides deep into the contest.