Scotland vs Nepal T20 World Cup, Highlights: NEP register historic win; beat SCO by 7 wickets

Nepal top the list for the most days between two T20 World Cup victories, enduring a remarkable 4,352-day wait between 2014 and 2026. Ireland follow with a gap of 2,770 days between 2014 and 2021, while Zimbabwe wait 2,412 days from 2016 to 2022. The Netherlands are close behind, with 2,408 days separating their wins between 2016 and 2022. Nepal’s long wait makes their recent triumph even more historic and emotionally charged.

Nepal create history with a stunning seven-wicket win, chasing down 171 to finish on 171/3 in 19.2 overs after Scotland post 170/7.

The momentum swings dramatically when Michael Leask picks up three crucial middle-order wickets to leave Nepal 100/3, but the chase is revived in sensational fashion by Dipendra Singh Airee. Airee turns the match on its head with fearless strokeplay, smashing Leask for back-to-back sixes in the 16th over and finishing with a breathtaking half-century off just 23 balls.

Gulsan Jha provides the finishing touch, hammering a crucial six off Brad Currie in the 19th before sealing the victory with a boundary off Brad Wheal, the ball confirmed as four after a tense check at the rope.

As the crowd erupts at the Wankhede Stadium, Nepal register their first-ever T20 World Cup win after 2014, sparking wild celebrations among players and supporters in a landmark moment for the nation’s cricketing journey.

Michael Leask continues his dream spell and swings the momentum sharply Scotland’s way, picking up his third wicket in the 14th over. He bowls a length delivery on off stump and gets a hint of extra bounce as Rohit Paudel sinks low to sweep. The ball climbs a touch more than expected, takes the top edge, and loops into the air. Michael Jones keeps his composure and completes the catch. Paudel falls for 16 off 14 balls, and Leask is now turning the game on its head with a match, defining spell.

98/3 after 13.2 overs.

Scotland pull things back further in the 12th over as Michael Leask grabs his second wicket of the spell. He fires it full on off stump and gets it to slide across Aasif Sheikh, who sinks low for the slog sweep but only manages a thick top edge.

Brad Wheal settles under it at short third, backpedals calmly and completes the catch.

Leask roars in delight as Sheikh departs for 33 off 27 balls, and Nepal lose another key batter just as Scotland begin to claw their way back into the contest.

NEP 87/2 after 11.5 overs.

Nepal dominate the chase through the first ten overs, racing to 78/1 with the momentum firmly in their favour.

Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh put on Nepal’s first 50-plus opening stand in a T20 World Cup, powering the side to their highest-ever Powerplay total in the tournament. Bhurtel leads the charge with an attacking 43, striking four sixes, including a powerful pull off Brad Wheal, while Sheikh keeps the scoreboard ticking with confident sweeps and drives.

Nepal even smash 23 runs in an over earlier against Mark Watt, underlining their intent.

Scotland finally break through in the 10th over when Michael Leask strikes with his first ball, as Tom Bruce holds a smart catch at mid-wicket to dismiss Bhurtel.

At the halfway mark, Nepal sit strongly placed, needing 93 more from 60 balls.

What a breakthrough for Scotland at 9.1 overs. Michael Leask makes an instant impact, striking with his very first ball of the over. He fires it full on leg stump and Kushal Bhurtel goes for the slog sweep, but he is early into the shot and gets it off the cue end. The ball balloons towards mid-wicket where Tom Bruce judges it brilliantly, running back and taking a composed catch over his shoulder. Bhurtel walks back for a well-made 43 off 35, and Scotland finally break the opening stand at a crucial moment in the chase.

Nepal race to 49/0 in 5 overs, keeping the chase firmly on track as they need 122 runs from 90 balls at a required rate of 8.13. Kushal Bhurtel anchors the innings with a fluent 31 off 22 balls, striking three sixes and batting with confidence, while Aasif Sheikh provides explosive support with 18 off just 8 balls at a stunning strike rate of 225. Nepal score at a healthy 9.8 runs per over, putting early pressure on Scotland and setting a strong platform for the middle overs.

Chasing 171, Nepal begin cautiously at 18/0 after three overs, with Kushal Bhurtel leading the way on 13 and Aasif Sheikh on 5. Brandon McMullen opens tightly, beating Aasif with a sharp outswinger, while Brad Currie troubles Bhurtel with clever slower balls but is lofted for a superb six over long-on.

Mark Watt then keeps things flat and disciplined in the third over, conceding four singles and a brace despite a brilliant diving stop from McMullen at long-off. Nepal rotate strike smartly, staying composed as they build their chase.

Nepal claw things back superbly at the death, restricting Scotland to 170/7 despite a late flourish. Sompal Kami continues his outstanding spell in the 19th over, foxing Tom Bruce with a back-of-the-hand slower ball that dips and clips off stump, finishing with three wickets and breaking the middle order just when Scotland look to push beyond 180.

Nandan Yadav then plays a decisive hand in the 18th and 20th overs, first bowling Matthew Cross with a pinpoint leg-stump yorker as Scotland’s collapse gathers pace, and later striking again after a successful review to dismiss Michael Leask caught behind.

Scotland lose five wickets for just 24 runs during this dramatic phase. Mark Watt provides a late spark, smashing a powerful six over deep mid-wicket off the final ball to lift the total, but Nepal’s disciplined mix of yorkers, slower balls and sharp fielding ensures the damage is limited.

From a commanding 131/1 earlier, Scotland are pegged back to 170/7, competitive, but Nepal will feel they have pulled things back brilliantly at the death.

Sompal Kami delivers a game-changing 16th over, removing both set batters and conceding just three runs. He first deceives Michael Jones with a clever knuckle-ball that sneaks through to hit leg stump, ending a superb 71 off 45. Moments later, he pulls off a stunning one-handed caught-and-bowled to dismiss Brandon McMullen, who chips a slower full delivery back at him. In the space of four balls, Scotland tumble from 131/1 to 134/3, and Nepal roar back into the contest.

From overs 10 to 15, Scotland turn the screws and surge from 80/1 to 131/1, with Michael Jones 71(44) continuing to anchor aggressively while Brandon McMullen 24(17) provides explosive support. Sandeep Lamichhane returns to the attack but is taken apart in the 12th over, McMullen launches him over long-on for six and Jones follows up by pulling a short ball straight back over the bowler’s head for four, as 17 runs flow and Scotland bring up their 100 in style. Kushal Bhurtel keeps it tighter initially, but anything full is punished, with Jones clearing his front foot to smoke boundaries straight down the ground. A brief moment of drama arrives when McMullen skies one off Nandan Yadav, only for the fielder to spill the catch, Nepal celebrate prematurely before the third umpire confirms the drop.

Jones continues to deal in clean hits and smart placement, moving into the 70s, while McMullen grows in confidence, pulling and driving with authority. The 15th over caps the charge as McMullen pulls for four and Jones finishes it emphatically with a towering six over long-on, underlining Scotland’s dominance. At 131/1 after 15 overs, Scotland are in complete control, with the partnership flourishing and Nepal’s spinners struggling to extract any meaningful turn at Wankhede.

Scotland continue to press the accelerator, moving confidently to 80/1 after 10 overs, before Nepal finally strike.

Michael Jones stays in complete control, piercing the off-side field and rotating strike with ease, while George Munsey supports well, mixing conventional sweeps with the occasional reverse to upset the bowlers’ rhythm.

Sandeep Lamichhane comes into the attack and is immediately taken on, Jones charges down the track and smashes him straight back over his head for six, making his intent crystal clear.

Lamichhane adjusts with flatter deliveries, but the runs keep ticking. Rohit Paudel keeps things tighter despite being drilled for a straight boundary, yet Jones continues to find singles and twos to keep the momentum alive.

The big moment arrives in the 10th over as Jones calmly tucks one into mid-wicket to bring up a fluent half-century off 31 balls, raising his bat to acknowledge the applause.

Nepal respond immediately though, Paudel fires in a very full ball outside off, Munsey tries to create room and go over cover, but the ball dips and he chips it straight to Sundeep Jora at long-off.

Scotland are flying at the end of five overs with Michael Jones completely bossing proceedings at Wankhede. It began steadily against Dipendra Singh Airee, with George Munsey sweeping up the first boundary and both openers rotating strike smartly, but once Sompal Kami and later Nandan Yadav came on, Jones shifted gears beautifully. He punished anything short or wide, crisp punches through cover-point, a confident chip over cover, and a flat, clean six over long-off that signalled intent.

Kami’s return in the fifth didn’t help Nepal either, as Jones expertly targeted the backward point region, slashing and steering boundaries with precision to close the over.

Munsey has played the perfect supporting role, ticking along at 10, while Jones is already 33 off 19 and looking in complete control.

Nepal desperately need a breakthrough because right now, Scotland have all the momentum.

George Munsey, Michael Jones, Brandon McMullen, Richie Berrington(c), Tom Bruce, Michael Leask, Matthew Cross(w), Mark Watt, Oliver Davidson, Brad Wheal, Brad Currie

Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh(w), Rohit Paudel(c), Dipendra Singh Airee, Aarif Sheikh, Lokesh Bam, Sundeep Jora, Gulsan Jha, Sompal Kami, Nandan Yadav, Sandeep Lamichhane

“We were probably going to look to bowl first as well. But it looks like a good surface. Obviously our first game on this pitch here tonight. So it’s going to be important that we adapt well. And when we bowl first, we have to do really well. I think we’ve shown a lot of good performances through this tournament so far. Definitely a couple of areas that we’d like to improve on. And tonights another good opportunity to do that. And I think it’s just backing my best options. And thankfully it’s come off so far. And obviously it’d be nice to do it again tonight. You know, we’re in a bowl. That’s one of their strengths. So we’re going to have to play that part of the game really well.”

“We will bowl first. Finally we won the toss. I think the wicket for the first four or five overs, it’s been a bit tricky, but whoever bats well in the first four or five overs can capitalise later in the innings. The first five overs have been a difficult task. So as a bowling unit, we need to make the most of those five overs. If you see collectively in this tournament, first game we batted really well. After that, I think in both the games we didn’t bat to our expectations. So we would love to bat well and have some good partnerships in the middle. We have one change, Sundeep Jora in place of Karan KC.”

Nepal win the toss and opt to bowl first.

West Indies (WI) – Qualified (Q): Matches: 3, Wins: 3, Losses: 0, Ties/No result: 0, Points: 6, Net Run Rate: +1.820

England (ENG) – Qualified (Q): Matches: 4, Wins: 3, Losses: 1, Ties/No result: 0, Points: 6, Net Run Rate: +0.201

Scotland (SCO) – Eliminated (E): Matches: 3, Wins: 1, Losses: 2, Ties/No result: 0, Points: 2, Net Run Rate: +0.359

Italy (ITA) – Eliminated (E): Matches: 3, Wins: 1, Losses: 2, Ties/No result: 0, Points: 2, Net Run Rate: -0.588

Nepal (NEP) – Eliminated (E): Matches: 3, Wins: 0, Losses: 3, Ties/No result: 0, Points: 0, Net Run Rate: -1.942

Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (w), Rohit Paudel (c), Dipendra Singh Airee, Aarif Sheikh, Lokesh Bam/Sundeep Jora, Gulsan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Sandeep Lamichhane

George Munsey, Michael Jones, Brandon McMullen, Richie Berrington (c), Tom Bruce, Michael Leask, Matthew Cross (w), Mark Watt, Oliver Davidson, Brad Currie/Zainullah Ihsan, Brad Wheal/Chris Greaves

Hello and welcome to the live coverage of Scotland vs Nepal T20 World Cup match.