T20 World Cup 2026: Dipendra Singh Airee’s 50 Ends Nepal’s 12-Year Wait for Third WC Win

Nepal ended a 12-year wait for their third T20 World Cup win by defeating Scotland by seven wickets at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 17, 2026, in the 33rd Group C match of T20 World Cup 2026. Dipendra Singh Airee’s unbeaten 50 off 23 balls — featuring four fours and three sixes — skewered Scotland’s valiant performance and sealed a high-octane chase with four balls to spare. Sompal Kami, the only survivor from Nepal’s maiden appearance at the 2014 World T20, provided the inspiration with 3 for 25, including two wickets in two balls in the 16th over that sparked Scotland’s collapse from 131 for 1 after 15 overs to 170 for 7 in their 20.

Michael Jones (71) and George Munsey (80-run opening stand) had given Scotland a strong platform, but Nepal’s chase — driven by Kushal Bhurtel’s 43, Airee’s heroics and an unbeaten 24 from Gulsan Jha — overwhelmed Scotland despite Michael Leask’s three-wicket spell (3 for 30) that briefly swung the match back into Scotland’s favour. The win gave Nepal a measure of redemption after near-misses against Bangladesh, South Africa and England over the last two World Cups, and sent the heavily Nepal-supporting Wankhede crowd into raptures.

Match Summary

Nepal won the toss and elected to bowl on a patchy, used surface at the Wankhede. Jones and Munsey put together an 80-run opening stand, with Jones in regal touch from the first over. Scotland reached 131 for 1 after 15 overs, but Kami’s double-wicket 16th over — Jones bowled by a knuckleball and McMullen caught in the follow-through — sparked a collapse of 6 for 30 in 27 balls.

Scotland finished with 170 for 7. In the chase, Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh provided a 74-run opening stand before Leask’s three-wicket burst (3 for 10 in three overs) reduced Nepal to 98 for 3, needing 71 off 36. Airee and Jha combined for an unbeaten 73-run fourth-wicket stand to chase down the target with four balls remaining, Jha hitting the winning runs.

Match Scorecard

Player of the Match: Dipendra Singh Airee (50* off 23) Cricinfo’s MVP: Dipendra Singh Airee (79.91 pts) Venue: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai Date: February 17, 2026 Toss: Nepal won; elected to bowl Historic context: Nepal’s third T20 World Cup win; first since 2014 (12-year wait); Sompal Kami only survivor from 2014 squad

First Innings: Scotland’s Batting (170/7 in 20 Overs)

Jones and Munsey Charge — Scotland 80 for 0

Despite Nepal inserting Scotland on a patchy, used surface, the spinners found little assistance in the opening exchanges. George Munsey found the first boundary, but it was Michael Jones who set the tempo with a driven four followed by a six launched over long-off in the third over. Nandan Yadav was picked off for back-to-back fours, then two more off-side boundaries followed in Kami’s second over. When Munsey muscled Airee down the ground, Scotland had raised their 50 from just 32 balls and 52 without loss at the end of the powerplay.

Jones continued to press on even as Munsey struggled for timing. Sandeep Lamichhane’s difficult tournament continued when Jones cracked his first ball for six, though Nepal captain Rohit Paudel finally broke through by tempting Munsey into a toe-ended swipe down to long-off for a much-needed breakthrough — the 80-run opening stand was ended.

Jones and McMullen Build — 131 for 1 After 15 Overs

Jones was involved in another sprightly stand alongside Brandon McMullen, who smashed his fifth ball from Lamichhane for six as Scotland looked to press home their advantage. After 15 overs, they were 131 for 1 with two established batters at the crease and in complete control.

Scotland Batting (First 15 Overs)

Kami Cameo Turns It Around — 6 for 30 in 27 Balls

By the end of the 16th over, the score was 134 for 3 and both Jones and McMullen were back in the dugout. Kami was the spark Nepal desperately needed. First he deceived Jones with a perfectly executed knuckleball that dipped and dipped in flight before pegging back leg stump. Two balls later, he removed McMullen with an outrageous reaction grab in his follow-through — another slower ball inducing a leading edge that he plucked one-handed above his head. His Buddha pose in celebration made him the calm amidst the storm of Nepal’s fightback.

A third wicket came in Kami’s final over, as Tom Bruce was flummoxed by a back-of-the-hand slower ball. Nandan Yadav also finished well, claiming 2 for 34, and Scotland lost 6 for 30 in the space of 27 balls. Mark Watt defiantly smacked the last delivery for six, but Scotland’s momentum had been shattered.

Scotland Batting Performance

Scotland: 131/1 after 15 overs → 170/7 (6 for 30 in 27 balls)

Nepal Bowling Performance

Second Innings: Nepal’s Chase (171/3 in 19.2 Overs)

Bhurtel and Aasif Dominate — Nepal 74 for 0

Scotland’s defence started well, conceding just one boundary — a muscled six over midwicket from Bhurtel — in the first 23 balls. Brad Currie put down a tough caught-and-bowled chance off Bhurtel, and Brad Wheal thought he had the opener edging behind, only for a review to confirm the ball had flicked the leg bail (which didn’t move) on its way through.

Aasif Sheikh then hoisted Wheal for the second six of the innings, and that triggered Bhurtel to pile into Mark Watt as Scotland’s most experienced spinner endured another off night. With Watt firing the ball into the pads, Bhurtel took him for 4-6-6 — swept, slog-swept and pounded over long-on — to the shorter boundary. A top-edged sweep from Aasif also had enough to clear the man at deep backward square leg, as 23 runs came off the over. Nepal rode the momentum to finish the powerplay on top at 56 without loss.

Leask Mode Enabled — Nepal 98 for 3

Oliver Davidson helped rein in the scoring with two overs costing just nine, but it was Michael Leask — the 35-year-old veteran of five T20 World Cups — who brought Scotland back into the contest. His first ball broke the opening stand as Bhurtel top-edged to midwicket, where Tom Bruce took a good running catch.

Leask’s vein-popping roar of celebration was on show again in his second over as Aasif skied to point. He then bagged Nepal’s captain Rohit Paudel off another top-edged sweep to send doubt rippling through the support in the stands. Leask had figures of 3 for 10 from three overs and seemed to be single-handedly turning the game. Nepal were 100 for 3 with the asking rate climbing to almost 12 an over. At the end of the 14th over, they needed 71 from 36 balls.

Nepal Chase Progression

Airee Arrives — Nepal 171 for 3

Gulsan Jha hit the first boundary of the fourth-wicket partnership, clubbing Davidson’s final ball over long-on. Then Airee took down the previously indomitable Leask. The first two balls of the 16th over were clobbered for six — making it three sixes in a row overall — and Airee then found the gap at wide long-on to make it 20 from the over and reignite the passionate Nepali following.

Currie was drilled through cover and slashed to third. After Wheal had conceded three runs from the first four balls of the 18th — making the requirement 25 off 14 — Airee went six and four to swing the pendulum once again. When Jha launched the next ball from Currie for six over extra cover, it was nine from 11 and the crowd officially had licence to go bananas. Jha hit the winning runs two balls into the 20th over as Nepal chased down 171 with four balls to spare.

Nepal Batting Performance

Scotland Bowling Performance

Match-Winning Performance: Dipendra Singh Airee

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