T20 World Cup: Pitch Perfect for Nepal, Almost

On Sunday Nepal and England faced off on the same strip at Wankhede in Mumbai used for the dramatic India-USA clash a day earlier. The pitch demonstrated that its defiance of the “batting” delight reputation the Wankhede enjoys was not a one-off occurrence. Right till the last three overs the England innings looked like it would fall short of the 184 that the score board showed at the end of 20 overs.

Chasing what would have been a glorious win, Nepal batter Lokesh Bam smashed Jofra Archer for two consecutive sixes in the 18^th over. It was 25 off 13 to win. Archer tried his slower balls but Nepal batter was up to it knocking off three sixes. The rookies ended the over with 24 needed off two overs. In fits and starts, aided by promising partnerships, the Nepal team gave storied England a scare, running them even closer than USA did India.

At 18.3 overs its was 14 needed off nine with five wickets in hand. Lokesh was, at the end of  the 19th, 35 off 15. Then England’s Luke Wood pegged back Gulshan’s stumps and the last over saw Karan KC walk in. It was 10 off 6. In the end, Nepal fell short by a heartbreaking Sam Curran’s fifth ball was probing one and Lokesh turned down a single. A long conference later, Curran’s final ball fetched one again, and England would count itself very lucky to have held off a plucky Nepal.

If Nepal’s chase was the second surprise of the day after the pitch being yet again a start and stop one, the third was the massive turnout of Nepal fans at the Wankhede. It was proof about what a melting pot Mumbai is just how deep the cultural affinities between India and Nepal are and just how many Nepalese have made the city their home in search of livelihoods and a future for themselves.

Nepal’s 180-6 chasing 185 was a warning though that established teams cannot take it easy against the newer entrants. Both USA and Nepal played fearlessly and the latter fell agonisingly short. A score of 180 plus was not safe with Nepal batters Dipendra Airee (44 off 29), Rohit Paudel (39 off 34) and Bam (44 off 29) took the battle right to England’s door and it needed Curran’s experience and cool mind to ensure Nepal did not get the 10 they needed in the final over.

But before that, Nepal hit lusty blows, making the veteran Adil Rashid look very ordinary as he got plundered for 42 runs in three overs. The target was very much in reach but the lack of experience might have been the difference at the end. While Nepal await to register their first win in a world cup, they announced their arrival in style and the large contingent of fans, though disappointed, has reasons to return of other matches featuring their team. Nepal players did their fans and country proud.

Just as for India the other evening, there are serious learnings for England. Their bowlers will be up against tougher tests as they run into the top teams in the tournament who will not miss the mark.