🏏ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026: M25: WI vs NEP at Mumbai🏏 - Page 3

A clash between certainty and survival - 'In T20 cricket, yesterday's hero can become today's heartbreak, and tomorrow's miracle is never far away.' That line could not fit this Group C clash any better as West Indies and Nepal walk into a high-stakes showdown at the Wankhede Stadium, with their World Cup paths heading in completely opposite directions. West Indies sit proudly on top of the group after statement wins over Scotland and England, knowing that one more victory will seal their place in the Super 8s, while Nepal are staring at the edge of elimination, aware that another defeat will bring a promising campaign to a cruel end. Caribbean firepower in full flow - West Indies have looked every bit the powerhouse side they promised to be, blending raw muscle with tactical balance.

Shimron Hetmyer has brought his trademark swagger, while Sherfane Rutherford's stunning 74* off 42 against England, the highest T20I score of his career, showed how quickly he can take a game away. With Rovman Powell and Jason Holder still to fully unleash their hitting, the batting has enviable depth, even if the opening pair of Brandon King and Shai Hope is yet to truly click, prompting talk of whether Johnson Charles could be thrown into the mix.

The inclusion of Roston Chase has already paid off, adding calm in the middle and vital balance, and alongside Gudakesh Motie and Akeal Hosein he formed a spin trio that strangled England with combined figures of 6 for 94. In a morning game at Wankhede, that spin threat could again be decisive, especially with the pace of Shamar Joseph, the all-round impact of Holder and Romario Shepherd, already a hat-trick and five-for holder in this tournament, waiting to pounce.

Everything on the line for Nepal - Nepal's journey has been a rollercoaster, pushing England to the brink before being brutally brought back to earth by Italy in a 10-wicket defeat that hammered their net run rate and left them in a do-or-die situation. Lokesh Bam's near-heroics against England now feel painfully distant, even as Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee have continued to provide stability and all-round value respectively. For Nepal to dream again, they will need more from Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh at the top, and the late-order punch of Gulshan Jha and Karan KC. With the ball, much will rest on Sandeep Lamichhane's guile, their leading wicket-taker in this format, supported by Nandan Yadav's impressive pace and possibly extra spin from Sher Malla or Lalit Rajbanshi.

Group C at a crossroads - West Indies and Nepal take the field for this crucial Group C clash of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium, where we welcome you to a high-stakes morning in Mumbai with the Super 8s firmly in sight for one side and elimination staring the other in the face, and every run and every wicket set to play a part in shaping the direction of the tournament.

Windies look to finish the job - West Indies could hardly have asked for a better start, sitting top of the group after powerful wins over Scotland and England that have once again underlined their fearsome T20 identity. Their journey has been driven by the batting muscle of Hetmyer, Powell and Rutherford and supported by a bowling attack that can strike at any stage, giving them the chance here to lock in qualification and keep their momentum building at just the right time.

One last push for survival - Nepal, meanwhile, are playing for their World Cup survival after a narrow defeat against England and a thrashing from Italy have left them bottom of the table. However, they remain a side capable of punching above their weight, especially through the aggressive intent of Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh at the top, the steady hand of Rohit Paudel in the middle and the all-round influence of Deependra Singh Airee, as they look to summon one big performance to keep their campaign alive.

Adding intrigue is the fact that Nepal defeated a second-string West Indies 2-1 in a T20I series earlier this year, a memory that will fuel belief, but on this stage, with qualification on the line, both teams know there is no room left for yesterday's stories, only the drama of what unfolds next.

The West Indies and Nepal face off in a Group C clash at the Wankhede Stadium with their tournament paths looking very different. After dominant victories over Scotland and England, the West Indies sit comfortably at the top of the table and are on the verge of securing a Super 8s spot. In contrast, Nepal is fighting for survival, after a heartbreaking four-run loss to England, they suffered a demoralizing 10-wicket defeat to Italy, making this match a must-win to keep their campaign alive.

The West Indies have shown elite balance, combining explosive batting depth with a clinical spin attack led by Gudakesh Motie and Roston Chase. Their ability to have different players step up, such as Sherfane Rutherford’s match-winning 76 against England, has made them the most composed team in the group. Nepal, however has struggled to find consistency despite flashes of brilliance. While their top order showed intent in the opener, they crumbled for just 123 against Italy’s spinners. To challenge a confident Caribbean side, Nepal will need their stars like Rohit Paudel and Sandeep Lamichhane to deliver a complete performance and sustain pressure for all 40 overs. Toss and team updates in a bit.

First up, it's Match 25 in Group C - Nepal versus the West Indies at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The atmosphere should be buzzing, and there's plenty riding on this one.

It's interesting how quickly things can change in T20 cricket. These two sides hadn't faced each other in this format until a few months ago, but they've already built a bit of history. In Sharjah, Nepal stunned the West Indies by winning the first two games of a three-match series and sealing the series 2-1, a result that certainly turned heads. But this World Cup tells a different story so far. The West Indies have looked sharp and confident, winning both their matches and sitting comfortably at the top of the table.

Another win today, and they're through to the Super Eight. West Indies come into this one on the back of a strong win over England. It wasn't flashy from start to finish, but it was clinical when it mattered. The middle order steadied things and then accelerated nicely, and the bowlers backed it up with a disciplined effort to keep England to 166. In the end, it felt like they were always a step ahead, winning the match by 30 runs without too much late drama.

Nepal, on the other hand, are under real pressure. After a tough 10-wicket loss to Italy, they now find themselves needing a victory to stay alive in the tournament. That defeat clearly stung. Nepal's coach didn't hold back afterwards, speaking openly about the need for stronger domestic structures and greater mental resilience at this level. It's been a talking point leading into today's match.

https://x.com/ESPNcricinfo/status/1972004506264121689

Gids: "Underestimate any team in this competition at your own peril. The WI should not and infact cannot take this game for granted "

Neal: "Which Nepal will we get today? The one that pushed England all the way, or the one that lost by 10 wickets to Italy. I'm hoping for the former."

West Indies find consistency

From the start of 2025 to the start of this T20 World Cup, West Indies had struggled to find rhythm and consistency. They had lost 19 of the 29 T20Is they played in this period, including six games in a row. Apart from a five-game winning streak, they weren't able to string two consecutive wins together.

However, the West Indies that arrived for the World Cup looks a different unit. In a World Cup where Associate and lower-ranked nations have run the big teams close, West Indies brushed Scotland aside without much hassle and then booked a comfortable win over England, who are among the stronger contenders for the title.

Their batting is firing, their bowlers are getting wickets, and West Indies look like a well-oiled unit. Today, they have a chance of maintaining their perfect record in the World Cup and taking another step in the direction of a third T20 World Cup title.

Nepal almost pulled off the upset of the tournament when they came within one hit of taking down England at the Wankhede. But what could have been the most famous win in Nepal's cricketing history was followed by a 10-wicket drubbing courtesy Italy, and now they desperately need two points to keep alive their hopes of making it through to the next round.

The path to the Super Eights for West Indies is a much simpler one. Two points guarantee progress, and after comfortable wins over Scotland and England, they will want to keep their momentum going. Of course, they will remember Nepal's 2-1 series win over them in the UAE, albeit they played a much younger, more inexperienced side in that series, and look like one of the big form teams in this T20 World Cup.

West Indies won the toss and elected to bowl first