What a game at Wankhede! In a match that will be talked about for years, Nepal almost pulled off the impossible against the defending champions, England. Chasing a tough target of 185, nobody expected Nepal to get close, but they did more than just compete; they scared the giants.
Also Read: Dream Debut: The Day Nepal's Sher Malla Silenced a Giant
With fearless batting from Dipendra Singh Airee and a fiery late cameo by Lokesh Bam, Nepal took the game down to the absolute wire. Needing just 10 runs off the final over, they fell agonisingly short by 4 runs. England may have won the points, but Nepal won the hearts of every cricket lover in Mumbai tonight, including the likes of Yuvraj Singh, Dale Steyn and Ravichandran Ashwin who tweeted their praises right after the match.
Here is what the fans are saying:
Coming up against a powerhouse like England, most associate teams either crumble under pressure or play safe. Nepal did neither. 🔥💯
— CricketRewind (@cricket_rewind) February 8, 2026
They punched above their weight from ball one fearless strokeplay, aggressive intent, and zero intimidation against a world-class bowling attack.… pic.twitter.com/d7HhhiEYBM
Nepal should be proud that they had England like this till the very last ball. pic.twitter.com/y5SxrXrfdT
— Ali (@Ali956763271218) February 8, 2026
I am very proud of Nepal today. We made England fight for 40 overs.
— Shikhu (@shikhugyawali) February 8, 2026
Good times ahead.
A team like Nepal would never have thought that we will give a big fight to England, Nepal lost by four runs, no problem, we gave a tough fight to the English. pic.twitter.com/41WlbJ4kzn
— Kishan Singh (@KishanS72375994) February 8, 2026
Incredible from Nepal.@NepalCricket
— Ashwin 🇮🇳 (@ashwinravi99) February 8, 2026
They are surely one of best amongst emerging cricketing nations.
Huge potential and upside.👏 #icct20worldcup2026
Nepal
— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) February 8, 2026
I offer my services to you if you ever need em!
Up, up and UP!
Huge respect to Nepal🇳🇵Took on one of the best teams in the world, stayed in the fight till the very last ball and showed what belief and heart can do! 🫡 This is how teams grow and this is how champions rise 👏🏻 The cricketing world is watching!#ENGvsNEP #ICCT20WORLDCUP…
— Yuvraj Singh (@YUVSTRONG12) February 8, 2026
A deserving lap around the Wankhede Stadium turf for #Nepal cricket team after their brave show against a two-time title winning side. #ENGvsNEP #NEPvsENG #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/26P11fyCbD
— Devarchit (@Devarchit) February 8, 2026
Nepal Cricket is going to shine a lot. A team full of passionate & hardworking players🤌
— ONEMUFC (@_onemufc) February 8, 2026
Proud of the amazing performance our boys put in today. Taking the attack to established bowlers is noteworthy. That said we really need to turn these near-wins into victory. Hopefully more matches will improve our in-game management #Nepal #T20WorldCup2026 #ENGvNEP
— Pranaya Rajbhandari (@rbpr16) February 8, 2026
