🏏ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026: M5: ENG vs NEP on 08/02/26🏏

🏏ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026: M5: ENG vs NEP at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on 08/02/26 at 8:30PM IST🏏

England enter the unknown in maiden encounter with Nepal

Both teams begin campaign with confidence after extended winning runs, but England seek refuge from off-field rows

Ten years on from their improbable run to the World T20 final in Kolkata, England return to India with quiet expectation. While controversy swirls around their captain, Harry Brook, and what he did and did not get up to outside a nightclub on Halloween, the team that he oversees has found some stillness in the eye of the storm. With 10 wins in their last 11 completed T20Is, they are as ready as they can be for the challenge that lies ahead.

Meanwhile, Nepal qualified for the tournament by topping the Super Six stage of the Asia-EAP Regional Qualifier. This will be Nepal’s third appearance at a T20 World Cup, and they will be hoping to break new ground by advancing beyond the group stage for the first time. Rohit Paudel will captain the side, with key players such as Kushal Bhurtel, Dipendra Singh Airee, and Sandeep Lamichhane forming the core of the squad.

Team news: Wood in for Overton

True to form, England named their XI on the eve of the match. Phil Salt is fit again after a back spasm in Pallekele, and will open once again alongside Jos Buttler. Tom Banton keeps his place at No.4, ahead of Ben Duckett, while left-arm seamer Luke Wood gets an early outing ahead of Jamie Overton.

England: 1 Phil Salt, 2 Jos Buttler (wk), 3 Jacob Bethell, 4 Tom Banton, 5 Harry Brook (capt), 6 Sam Curran, 7 Will Jacks, 8 Liam Dawson, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Luke Wood.

Nepal warmed up for this contest with two emphatic wins over UAE and Canada, with Aasif Sheikh impressing with a hard-hitting fifty from the top of the order in the latter contest.

Nepal (probable): 1 Aasif Sheikh (wk), 2 Kushal Bhurtel, 3 Rohit Paudel (capt), 4 Dipendra Airee, 5 Aarif Sheikh, 6 Gulsan Jha, 7 Karan KC, 8 Sompal Kami, 9 Sandeep Lamichhane, 10 Lalit Rajbanshi/Nandan Yadav, 11 Sher Malla

Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai Pitch Report

The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai last hosted a T20 World Cup match in 2016. The upcoming contest is expected to be a high-scoring affair, with England’s powerful batting lineup likely to put Nepal’s bowlers under pressure. As the match will be played in the evening, dew is not expected to play a major role, and the pitch is traditionally known to favour batters.

In the spotlight: Harry Brook and Sandeep Lamichhane

Brook would love to be able to parade England's T20I form as proof of their progress since he took over as white-ball captain. Unfortunately, those issues of team culture will not go away in what he admits has been a "horrendous" few weeks for him, which means this is perhaps not the ideal moment for his overdue return to India. Unusually for a modern-day superstar, Brook is a relative stranger in these parts. He missed England's last tour on compassionate grounds, and is currently serving a two-year ban from the IPL for reneging on his deal with Delhi Capitals. His solitary season, for Sunrisers Hyderabad, consisted of 90 runs in ten innings … and a startling 55-ball hundred against KKR, after which he missed his chance to endear himself to the locals by hitting out instead at his critics. He'll doubtless have similar urges in the coming weeks, if he gets half a chance. It promises to be eventful, one way or another.

ENG vs NEP Probable Best Performers

Probable Best Batter: Phil Salt

England opener Phil Salt could prove to be the key batter in this clash. He has scored 1,587 runs in 52 T20Is at an impressive strike rate of 166.52. His ability to score quickly at the top of the order will be crucial and could be match-defining for England. Salt has also been in good touch in the IPL, and the Indian conditions are expected to suit his aggressive batting style perfectly.

Probable Best Bowler: Adil Rashid

Adil Rashid could be the key bowler in this clash. He has taken 150 wickets in 137 T20Is, underlining his dominance in the shorter format. His leg-spin is expected to play a decisive role, as it can put Nepal’s batters under pressure right from the outset.

Stats and trivia

Nepal are taking part in their third T20 World Cup, and their second in a row after the 2024 tournament.

Their other appearance came in Bangladesh in 2014, when they beat Afghanistan and Hong Kong but lost to the hosts, all in Chattogram.

Jos Buttler, who recently became England's most-capped international cricketer, needs 50 runs to reach 4,000 in T20Is.

Today's Match Prediction: England to win the match

Disclaimer

The prediction is based on the understanding, analysis, and instinct of the author. While making your prediction, consider the points mentioned, and make your own decision.

Quotes

"All I do is hit a ball with a bat, and that's what I want to carry on doing for the rest of [my career] - 15, 20 years or whatever - and that's all it should be... Thankfully, I'm still pretty good at that.

England captain Harry Brook keeps his eye on the ball.

Thank you Raji for the thread and for tagging.

Best wishes to both the teams.