Lokesh Bam’s stunning unbeaten 39 off just 20 balls went in vain as England survived a massive scare against Nepal in their Group C opener of the T20 World Cup, edging out a tense four-run victory at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.

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Chasing 185, Nepal were left needing 10 off the final over, but Sam Curran held his nerve under immense pressure to restrict them to 180 for six. Bam’s late assault, featuring two sixes and four boundaries, pushed England to the brink of an improbable upset, but Curran delivered a near-perfect final over. Nepal needed a six off the last ball to win, but Bam could manage only a single.

England batter Will Jacks later admitted that the closing moments were nerve-wracking as England narrowly avoided embarrassment in their tournament opener.

“I was very nervous, extremely nervous. My heart was thumping,” Jacks said. “But I had confidence in Sam Curran. He’s defended situations like that before and did it brilliantly again today. His yorkers were excellent and he executed under pressure.”

England escape as Nepal push favourites to the edge

Despite the relief of victory, Jacks was full of praise for Nepal’s spirited performance. “Full credit to Nepal. They were absolutely brilliant,” he said. “We knew the pitch was tricky when we batted, but they played really well and took us very close. They were outstanding.”

Earlier, England won the toss and opted to bat first. Jacob Bethell top-scored with a fluent 55 off 35 balls, striking four sixes, while captain Harry Brook contributed a brisk 53 off 32 deliveries.

England found themselves in trouble at 137 for five in the 16th over before Jacks provided the late surge, smashing 39 not out off 18 balls, including four sixes, to lift his side to a competitive 184 for seven.

Reflecting on his finishing role, Jacks pointed to Nepal’s sharp tactics. “I saw they were debating a few things. In hindsight, they might change a couple of calls, but tactically they were very good,” he said. “They pushed us right to the edge, and if surfaces continue to play like this, adaptability will be crucial going forward.”

Curran finished with figures of 1 for 27 from four overs, while left-arm spinner Liam Dawson impressed with 2 for 21. For Nepal, skipper Rohit Paudel scored 39 off 34 balls, while Dipendra Singh Airee top-scored with 44 off 29.

Elsewhere in the tournament, Tim Seifert’s 65 off 42 balls powered New Zealand to a five-wicket win over Afghanistan in Group D, chasing down 183, their highest successful chase at a T20 World Cup with two overs to spare. The group also features 2024 finalists South Africa.

In Group B, co-hosts Sri Lanka began their campaign with a 20-run victory over Ireland in Colombo, thanks to crucial contributions from Kusal Mendis and Kamindu Mendis.

Group C also includes West Indies, Italy and Scotland. Two-time champions West Indies opened their campaign with a dominant 35-run win over Scotland on Saturday.