Nepal Breaks 12-Year World Cup Voodoo: Airee and Bhurtel Orchestrate Historic Chase Against Scotland
MUMBAI — The 12-year wait is over. Powered by Dipendra Singh Airee’s explosive finishing and Kushal Bhurtel’s top-order aggression, Nepal defeated Scotland by seven wickets in a Group C clash at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday. The victory marks Nepal’s first T20 World Cup win since their 2014 campaign in Bangladesh, snapping a decade-long drought on the global stage.
Chasing a target of 171, Nepal crossed the line with four balls to spare, finishing at 171/3. Airee was the catalyst in the final overs, smashing an unbeaten 50 off just 23 deliveries to secure the result in front of a partisan crowd of over 19,000.
Match Scorecard Snapshot
| Category | Scotland | Nepal |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 170/7 (20 overs) | 171/3 (19.2 overs) |
| Top Scorer | Michael Jones: 71 (47) | Dipendra Singh Airee: 50* (23) |
| Best Bowler | Brad Currie: 1/28 (4) | Sompal Kami: 3/25 (4) |
| Result | Nepal won by 7 wickets | |
The Chase: Airee and Jha Seal the Deal
Nepal’s pursuit began with high intent but mixed fortunes. Opener Kushal Bhurtel (43) survived an early scare when Brad Currie dropped a return catch. Bhurtel punished the error immediately, launching a massive six over long-on to settle the nerves. Alongside Aasif Sheikh (33), Bhurtel constructed a foundation that kept the required run rate manageable during the powerplay.
Scotland’s spinners, led by Mark Watt, briefly stifled the scoring in the middle overs, removing both openers and skipper Rohit Paudel (16). With the scorecard reading 98/3, the match hung in the balance. However, the arrival of Dipendra Singh Airee changed the complexion of the game. Airee attacked the pace bowlers, hitting three sixes and four boundaries. He found an able partner in Gulsan Jha (24*), who struck two towering sixes of his own.
The duo shared an unbeaten 73-run stand for the fourth wicket, ensuring there were no late jitters. Jha’s clean striking allowed Airee to manipulate the field, eventually guiding Nepal home in the 20th over.
First Innings: Jones Anchors Scotland
Earlier in the day, Scotland elected to bat and posted a competitive 170/7. Opener Michael Jones anchored the innings with a fluent 71, featuring eight fours and three sixes. His 80-run opening partnership with George Munsey (27 off 29) threatened to take the game away from Nepal early on.
Nepal’s bowlers fought back through Sompal Kami. The seamer returned figures of 3/25, including a spectacular one-handed return catch to dismiss the dangerous Jones. Fielding lapses plagued Scotland’s momentum, while Nepal capitalized on Sundeep Jora’s diving catch at long-on to remove Munsey. Despite the solid platform, Scotland’s middle order failed to accelerate, losing wickets in clusters during the death overs.
Historical Context
This result holds significant weight for Nepalese cricket. Since defeating Afghanistan and Hong Kong in the 2014 T20 World Cup, Nepal has struggled to convert potential into points at major ICC events. This win in a dead-rubber Group C fixture provides a morale boost for the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) as they look to build a squad capable of competing against Full Member nations consistently.