Nepal chase down 170 to beat Scotland in T20 World Cup

Dipendra Singh Airee’s unbeaten 50 and strong batting helped Nepal secure a seven-wicket victory over Scotland in Mumbai.

Scotland won the toss and chose to bat first. They posted a challenging score of 170 for 7 in 20 overs, giving Nepal a solid target to chase.

The Scottish innings was powered by Michael Jones, who top-scored with 71 runs off 45 balls, including eight fours and three sixes. He put Scotland in a strong position early with a fluent knock.

George Munsey supported Jones with 27 runs, and Brandon McMullen added 25 to help Scotland reach a competitive total.

Nepal’s bowlers fought back in the middle and death overs. Sompal Kami was the most successful with the ball, taking 3 for 25, slowing Scotland’s momentum at key stages.

Nepal began the chase confidently. Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh provided a strong opening partnership, laying a solid foundation for the innings. Bhurtel scored 43 runs off 35 balls with four sixes, while Sheikh contributed 33 runs.

Their 74-run stand in 9.1 overs helped Nepal stay ahead of the run rate and build momentum midway through the chase.

After the strong start, Scotland fought back through Michael Leask, who took three quick wickets. He dismissed Bhurtel, Sheikh, and skipper Rohit Paudel (16) to reduce Nepal to 98 for 3 in the 14th over.

At that moment, the match looked evenly poised. Nepal needed a big contribution from their middle order to stay in the hunt.

That man arrived in the form of Dipendra Singh Airee, who played a breathtaking innings. He scored an unbeaten 50 off just 23 balls, reaching his half-century with three sixes and four fours. Airee’s aggressive strike rate put pressure back on the Scottish bowlers.

Airee’s innings was complemented by Gulsan Jha, who remained unbeaten on 24 runs off 17 balls. Together, Airee and Jha shared an unbroken 73-run partnership for the fourth wicket, guiding Nepal past Scotland’s total with four balls remaining.

Their partnership marked a calm and assured finish despite earlier setbacks in the chase. It also underlined Nepal’s improved batting depth and confidence on a big stage.

This win ended Nepal’s long winless run in the T20 World Cup. Their last victory came in their debut tournament in 2014 when they beat Hong Kong and Afghanistan. Since then, Nepal had lost six straight matches in the World Cup across multiple editions.

Fans at Wankhede Stadium celebrated loudly as Nepal reached the target, acknowledging the team’s resilience and fight. For many supporters, the victory represented a moment of national pride and promise for Nepal cricket’s future.

Nepal’s bowlers, in particular, played a key role in Denmark’s victory. Sompal Kami’s early wickets slowed Scotland’s scoring at crucial points, allowing Nepal to stay competitive.

After the game, Dipendra Singh Airee said the win was “very important” for the team and thanked fans for their support, noting that their presence motivated players throughout the match.

Nepal’s captain Rohit Paudel also praised his team’s fightback and resilience, highlighting that the victory would boost confidence heading into future tournaments.

Scotland’s campaign, by contrast, ended on a disappointing note. Despite a strong total, they could not defend it against a spirited Nepal chase. Scotland had earlier shown promise in the tournament but now face a rebuild ahead of future ICC events.

Stats from the match

• Scotland innings: 170/7 (20 overs) — Jones 71, Munsey 27; Kami 3-25
• Nepal innings: 171/3 (19.2 overs) — Airee 50; Bhurtel 43; Jha 24*
• Result: Nepal won by 7 wickets with four balls to spare.