Kathmandu, Feb 6: The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 gets underway this Saturday in India and Sri Lanka, with Nepal set to make their third appearance at the global tournament. Nepal will begin their campaign on Sunday against Test nation England, aiming to script history by reaching the Super Eight stage for the first time.
Having exited in the first round in their previous two World Cup appearances, Nepal enter this edition with a clear objective, break past the group stage. Drawn in Group C, Nepal will face two-time champions England and West Indies, alongside associate nations Scotland and Italy.
The top two teams from the group will advance to the Super eight. Nepal will need at least two wins to stay in contention, while three victories would almost certainly secure qualification. With two wins, their fate could depend on other match results.
After completing two phases of preparation in India and Sri Lanka, the Nepali squad has now arrived in India for the tournament.
Nepal’s T20 World Cup History
Nepal made their T20 World Cup debut in 2014 in Bangladesh. In the group stage, Nepal won two of their three matches, defeating Hong Kong by 80 runs in their opening game and Afghanistan by 9 runs in the final match. However, an eight-wicket loss to Bangladesh proved costly.
Both Nepal and Bangladesh finished with three points each, but Bangladesh advanced to the next round due to a superior net run rate, forcing Nepal to exit early. Nepal then waited 10 years to return to the World Cup.
In the 2024 edition, jointly hosted by the USA and West Indies, Nepal once again failed to progress beyond the group stage. Out of four matches, Nepal lost three, while one match was abandoned due to rain.
- Lost to Netherlands by six wickets
- Shared points with Sri Lanka due to rain
- Lost to South Africa by just one run
- Lost to Bangladesh by 21 runs
Overall, Nepal have played seven World Cup matches, winning only two. Notably, Nepal are yet to defeat a Test-playing nation at the T20 World Cup. Although Nepal beat Afghanistan in 2014, Afghanistan did not have Test status at the time.
To fulfill their Super Eight ambition this year, Nepal must upset at least one Test nation.
Expectation of Massive Nepali Fan Support
With matches being held in neighboring India, a strong turnout of Nepali supporters is expected. As Nepali citizens do not require a visa to enter India, fans are anticipated to travel in large numbers.
Once again, Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede Stadium is expected to be painted red and blue, echoing scenes from the previous World Cup, where Nepali supporters in Dallas, USA, drew global attention.
Indian media reports suggest that Nepal’s matches have recorded the highest ticket sales after India’s games, highlighting the growing popularity of Nepali cricket. All of Nepal’s group-stage matches will be played at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
Nepal in Strong Form Ahead of the World Cup
Nepal enter the World Cup in impressive form, having won 10 of their last 15 matches, with four losses and one match abandoned due to rain.
Nepal dominated the ICC East Asia-Pacific and Asia Qualifiers, winning all six matches to clinch the title and secure World Cup qualification. Prior to that, Nepal registered a historic 2–1 series victory against West Indies in a three-match series.
In warm-up matches earlier this week, Nepal defeated UAE by seven wickets and Canada by six wickets, underlining their readiness for the tournament.
However, concerns remain. The opening partnership of Aasif Sheikh and Kushal Bhurtel has yet to fully click, while fast bowlers Nandan Yadav and Sompal Kami are still searching for top form.
Nepal’s T20 World Cup 2026 Match Schedule (Group Stage)
- Nepal vs England – February 8, 3:15 PM
- Nepal vs Italy – February 12, 3:15 PM
- Nepal vs West Indies – February 15, 11:15 AM
- Nepal vs Scotland – February 17, 7:15 PM
(All matches to be played at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai)
