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February 15, 2026
February 14, 2026
A dominant bowling display in the powerplay, backed up by a solid batting display helped a clinical West Indies ease to their third win of the tournament, confirming their spot in the Super Eights.
From the first over of the game until the last, West Indies were in complete control as they eased to a nine-wicket win, ending Nepal’s dreams of progressing in the process.
Matthew Forde shone with the new ball, while Jason Holder took four wickets. Dipendra Singh Airee was a bright spot for Nepal with a gritty half-century to take them to 133 for 8, but it wasn’t enough against a power-packed West Indies lineup.
West Indies captain Shai Hope found his feet with a fluent half-century while Shimron Hetmyer continued his destructive form as West Indies raced to their target in the 16th over.
Hope wanted West Indies to make the most of a pitch he said was damper than they had expected, and his bowlers did just that. Akeal Hosein dealt the first blow, beating Kushal Bhurtel’s defence with an arm ball in the first over, improving an already impressive match-up. Hosein has now dismissed Bhurtel four times in the four T20I innings they have faced each other and has conceded just 18 runs off as many balls.
Then it was Forde’s turn to get in on the action. The allrounder, playing because Romario Shepherd was left out as a precaution due to a slight niggle, got the ball to swing and seam around, and Nepal’s batters had no answers.
In his second over, he trapped Nepal captain Rohit Paudel lbw with an inswinger, and then barely allowed Airee to get a touch on the ball as he completed a wicket maiden.
Jason Holder then struck with his first ball of the match as Nepal lost two wickets in seven balls without scoring. It was a slot ball that should have been put away, but Aasif Sheikh’s flick went straight to Shimron Hetmyer at deep backward square.
Nepal survived the rest of the powerplay, but their 22 for 3 was the lowest score in the first six overs by any team in this World Cup.
Holder then removed the other Sheikh brother, with Aarif miscuing one to midwicket.
Between overs 8 and 15, Nepal went at a run-a-ball, losing two more wickets. Airee stayed steady at one end, and if Nepal were to reach a respectable total, he would be key to that effort.
Airee and Sompal Kami – who came into the XI in place of Lalit Rajbanshi – picked up a boundary each in the 17th over, and then Kami hit Holder for three consecutive boundaries through the off side.
Airee cut a short and wide delivery from Shamar Joseph for six to bring up his half-century – only the second by a Nepal batter in a T20 World Cup – and finished an 18-run over with another six, this time slogging the West Indies quick over midwicket.
However, he fell to Holder in the final over while trying to clear the ropes. Holder closed the innings out well, conceding just seven runs despite offering Nepal a free hit. He also dismissed Karan KC off the final ball to finish with figures of 4 for 27. It was a strong comeback after going wicketless and conceding 34 runs in two overs in the win over England.
Brandon King punched his first ball off the back foot through covers for four, but West Indies were not overly hurried in their chase. They picked up a boundary in each of the first three overs before King hit Kami for back-to-back fours.
If flashbacks of the ten-wicket defeat to Italy were worrying Nepal fans, Nandan Yadav offered some respite when he had King caught at mid-on. West Indies finished the powerplay on 44 for 1.
Hetmyer ensured West Indies did not slow down or come under pressure with a flurry of boundaries.
He struck two boundaries off Sandeep Lamichhane, the second coming off the outside edge right after Nepal removed the lone slip fielder, and then steered Airee through third for another.
Hetmyer launched Lamichhane for the first six of the innings as he raced to 26 off 16.
In the 12th over, Hetmyer whipped Yadav over midwicket before pulling him behind square for four. But as the target drew closer, Hope picked up the pace and reclaimed the lead in the little race between him and Hetmyer.
A misfield at long-on gifted him a boundary off Bhurtel, and the next ball he swung over backward square for six.
Two sixes off Lamichhane – the first bringing up Hope’s fifty – saw West Indies level the scores in the 15th over, and they needed just two more balls to seal the win and the two points.
It was also a return to some form for Hope, with the West Indies skipper having only managed 19 runs in the first two games. (ESPNcricinfo)
