NEP Vs WI Warm Up Match 25
NEP Vs WI Warm Up Match 25: The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 served up a classic David vs Goliath encounter at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, as the spirited Associate nation Nepal took on the two-time champions, West Indies. While the final scoreline—a dominant 9-wicket win for the Windies—suggests a one-sided affair, the match was far from devoid of drama .
Nepal’s innings was a story of two halves, featuring a catastrophic top-order collapse and a magnificent rescue act by their star all-rounder. However, their total of 133/8 ultimately proved insufficient against the Caribbean batting firepower, who chased it down with more than four overs to spare .
Toss and Early Chaos: Nepal’s Top Order Wiped Out
West Indies captain Shai Hope won the toss and elected to bowl first, a decision that paid immediate dividends. On a surface with a bit of dampness, the West Indian pacers exploited the conditions perfectly .
The disaster began in the very first over when Akeal Hosein clean-bowled opener Kushal Bhurtel. The Nepal innings never really recovered from that early blow. Matthew Forde and Jason Holder turned the screws further, reducing Nepal to a precarious 17/3 within the first four overs.
Skipper Rohit Paudel and Aasif Sheikh were sent back to the pavilion cheaply, leaving the team in tatters at 22/3 by the end of the powerplay—the lowest six-over total of the tournament so far .
At 46/5 in the 11th over, Nepal was staring down the barrel, with the very real possibility of being bowled out for under 100.
The Dipendra Singh Airee Show: A Captain’s Knock
Just when all hope seemed lost, Dipendra Singh Airee walked in and played what is already being called one of the finest knocks in Nepal’s T20I history. Showing immense composure, Airee didn’t panic. He cautiously navigated the tricky period, rebuilding the innings brick by brick with the tail-enders .
He found a willing partner in Sompal Kami, and together they launched a spectacular counter-attack in the death overs. Airee brought up his gritty half-century in style, launching an audacious upper cut for six off Shamar Joseph, much to the delight of the crowd . His 58 off 47 balls, studded with three fours and three sixes, was a masterclass in pacing an innings on a difficult pitch .
The 18th over yielded 18 runs, with Airee smashing two massive sixes, while Sompal Kami played the perfect supporting act with a quickfire unbeaten 26 off just 15 balls. Their 54-run partnership propelled Nepal from a potential 100 to a respectable 133/8, with Jason Holder picking up a four-wicket haul (4-27) right at the death .
West Indies’ Clinical Chase: King and Hope Seal the Deal
Chasing 134, West Indies knew the danger of losing early wickets. Openers Brandon King and Shai Hope erased any hopes of a Nepal comeback with a mature and calculated batting display.
They saw off the new-ball threat posed by Karan KC and Sompal Kami with relative ease. King was particularly aggressive, punching the first ball of the innings through the covers for a boundary to set the tone . Hope, playing the anchor role, looked equally elegant, driving and pulling with authority .
The pair exhibited perfect game awareness, never taking unnecessary risks while punishing the loose balls. They added a solid 50-run stand and effectively took the game away from Nepal. By the time the first wicket fell—Brandon King dismissed for a well-made 56—the required runs were just a formality. Shai Hope remained unbeaten on a composed 62, guiding his team home in just 15.2 overs and sealing a dominant 9-wicket victory .
Brief Scores:
- Nepal: 133/8 in 20 overs (Dipendra Singh Airee 58, Sompal Kami 26*; Jason Holder 4-27, Matthew Forde 1-10)
- West Indies: 134/1 in 15.2 overs (Shai Hope 62*, Brandon King 56; Karan KC 0-21)
- Result: West Indies won by 9 wickets.
Conclusion
While the West Indies secured a crucial win to boost their net run rate and take a giant step towards the Super 8s, the match once again highlighted the fighting spirit of Nepal . Dipendra Singh Airee’s valiant fifty was a knock that won the hearts of fans, proving that on their day, the Associate nations can push the giants of the game to the limit. For Nepal, it was a painful lesson in the importance of a solid start, but in Airee, they have a bona fide star who continues to shine on the biggest stage.
