Nepal end 12-year drought for a World Cup win

By Cricketing Country | Posted Posted Feb 18, 2026

Nepal ended their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a seven-wicket win over Scotland on Tuesday at the Wankhede Stadium, bringing an end to their 12-year wait for a victory at the tournament.

Nepal’s last World Cup win had come in 2014 against Afghanistan in Bangladesh. Since then, they had gone winless in the competition until this result.

Nepal, electing to field first, restricted Scotland to 170/7. Opener Michael Jones top-scored with 71 off 45 balls, hitting eight fours and three sixes. He shared an 80-run opening stand with George Munsey, who made 27.

Brandon McMullen added 25, but none of the other batters were able to convert their starts as wickets fell at regular intervals.

Sompal Kami led Nepal’s bowling attack with 3 for 25 from his four overs and in the process became Nepal’s leading wicket-taker in T20 World Cup history with 10 wickets across three editions.

Nandan Yadav picked up two wickets, while captain Rohit Paudel and Kushal Bhurtel claimed one each.

Chasing 171, Nepal got off to a strong start through openers Kushal Bhurtel (43) and Asif Sheikh (33). The pair added 74 runs for the first wicket, Nepal’s highest opening partnership in T20 World Cup history.

Michael Leask brought Scotland back into the contest in the middle overs, taking three crucial wickets as Nepal’s top three batters fell while attempting slog sweeps.

However, a 73-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Gulshan Jha and Dipendra Singh Airee sealed the game for Nepal.

Airee remained unbeaten on 50 off 23 balls, hitting four boundaries and three sixes, and was named Player of the Match. With consecutive fifties in the tournament, he finished as Nepal’s leading run-scorer with 169 runs from four innings.

With the win, Nepal closed their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with one victory and three defeats.