In a Group C game in Mumbai where both teams are playing their final games of the competition, Nepal have made a strong start to the chase of 171 against Scotland. After their bowlers did well to come back in the death overs phase, the batters have made a strong start but will have to carry the momentum forward if they want to get across the line tonight in Mumbai.
Nepal Gets Off to a Lightning Start In Powerplay.Â
Chasing 171 for the victory, Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh opened the batting for Nepal while Brandon McMullen had ball in hand for Scotland. McMullen bowled a decent first over. Bradley Currie had ball in hand from the other end. Currie put down a tough chance of his own bowling as Bhurtel got a lifeline. Bhurtel took on the bowler and launched the ball down the ground over wide long-on for the maximum. Mark Watt came onto bowl from the other end. Watt bowled a decent first over.
Bradley Wheal came into the attack next. Bhurtel survived a scare as a caught behind was turned down and the review was lost by the Scotland team. Aasif took on Wheal and sent the ball over deep fine leg for the maximum. Watt continued and Bhurtel took the attack to him. He smashed a boundary first by the sweep past short fine leg then played the slog sweep to clear deep midwicket for the maximum. He went big again as he cleared mid-on for the maximum. Aasif joined the fun as he took on the bowler by going over deep midwicket for the maximum.
Currie came back into the attack to bowl the last over of powerplay. The 50 came up for Nepal in 5.1 overs. Nepal were 56/0 in 6 overs at the end of the powerplay with Bhurtel unbeaten on 31 off 23 balls and Sheikh unbeaten on 23 off 13 balls. At this stage, Drinks was taken on the field as is the norm in this tournament.
Kushal Bhurtel falls but Nepal stays on course in the chase of 171.Â
Oliver Davidson came into the attack post the powerplay. He bowled a decent over post the Drinks Break. Wheal continued as Bhurtel took him on by swinging across the line and went over deep backward square leg for the maximum. Davidson continued and bowled a tidy over. Michael Leask came into the attack to bowl the 10th over. He struck straightaway and dismissed Bhurtel for 43 off 35 balls with 1 four and 4 sixes to his name.
Leask bowled from around the wicket a full length delivery on the pads pitching outside the leg stump. Bhurtel was down on one knee going for the slog sweep and got a top edge. He launched the ball without control in the vacant space between deep midwicket and mid-on as the midwicket fielder ran to his left and put a desperate dive to complete the catch. Rohit Paudel came into the middle next.
At the completion of 10 overs, Nepal were 78/1 with Aasif Sheikh unbeaten on 30 off 23 balls and Rohit Paudel unbeaten on 2 off 2 balls and needed 93 more off 60 balls.
What Lies Ahead.Â
A solid start by Nepal means this game is very much in the balance and can go either from here. Nepal needs to take it deep and have a check on required run rate while Scotland needs to pick up wickets and chip away at it to put the Nepalese under pressure. This game can go either way. Let’s see how the chase unfolds in Mumbai.
Also Read: ICC T20 WC 2026: Yuvraj Samra’s Record-Breaking Ton Outclasses Kiwis