MUMBAI: Two-time champions England survived a massive scare against a doughty Nepal in their Group C clash of the T20 World Cup, clinching a narrow four-run win in a tense finish to their tournament opener in Mumbai on Sunday.
Nepal came within touching distance of creating history as they nearly upset one of the teams to beat in the competition, scoring 180/6 in reply to England's 184/7.
Lokesh Bam (39 not out off 20 balls) kept Nepal in the hunt for an upset victory but could not finish the game in the final over after a heroic effort.
Needing 10 runs off the last over, Nepal couldn't find a boundary as their inspired show with the bat ended in a narrow loss. Sam Curran nailed his yorkers relentlessly as all that Nepal could manage were five runs.
Nevertheless, more than 17,000 fans thronged the iconic Wankhede Stadium and witnessed Nepal punching far above their weight, with majority of them being from the Himalayan nation.
Skipper Rohit Paudel (39), Dipendra Singh Airee (39), Kushal Bhurtel (29) and Lokesh, who smashed four boundaries and two sixes in a late assault, fought valiantly but they could not take their side over the line.
Lokesh went hammer and tongs when Nepal's backs were against the wall, hitting two sixes off Jofra Archer's 18th over and two consecutive fours off Luke Wood's penultimate over when they needed 46 runs off the final three overs.
Bhurtel had provided early fireworks while a robust 82-run stand for the third wicket between Paudel and Airee consolidated Nepal.
Earlier, Jacob Bethell (55) and skipper Harry Brook (53) peeled off attacking fifties to power England to a formidable 184 for seven.
The young left-handed Bethell gave a fine example of himself on T20 World Cup debut in front of a partisan crowd with his rapid half-century (35 balls ), with four sixes and as many fours, while skipper Brook got back among runs in his bid to change the narrative around him.
Brook fell after making a vital knock that came off 32 balls with four sixes and three fours, putting on a 71-run stand for the fourth wicket with Bethell as Nepal bowlers presented a strong challenge on their part.
All-rounder Will Jacks provided England with a strong finish, scoring 39 runs off just 18 balls as the team posted a commanding total against Nepal.
Brief Scores: England 184/7 in 20 overs (Jacob Bethell 55, Harry Brook 53, Will Jacks 39; Dipendra Singh Airee 2-23, Nandan Yadav 2-25) beat Nepal (Dipendra Singh Airee 44, Rohit Paudel 39, Lokesh Ram 39 not out; Liam Dawson 2-21, Will Jacks 1-17) by 5 runs. Agencies
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