England survived a major scare to defeat Nepal by four runs in their T20 World Cup opener at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium. The defending champions posted 184-7, with Harry Brook scoring 53 and Jacob Bethell contributing a quickfire 55. Nepal's chase was led by Rohit Paudel's 39 and Dipendra Singh Airee's 44, but they fell short in the final over.

Sam Curran delivered under pressure, defending 10 runs in the last over to deny Nepal what would have been their biggest win in cricketing history. Nepal needed six runs off the final ball, but Lokesh Bam could only manage one, finishing unbeaten on 39 from 20 balls. The result spares England from another humiliating defeat following their recent Ashes loss.

Nepal impressed throughout, with leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane taking 1-25 and off-spinner Sher Malla claiming his first international wicket. Their batting showed promise as they swept and scurried through England's total. The 16th-ranked side's performance suggests they could trouble other teams in this tournament, having previously beaten West Indies and pushed South Africa to the final ball in 2024.

England's relief was palpable at the finish, avoiding the ignominy of one of cricket's biggest World Cup upsets. The victory provides breathing space for head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Brook, who now face West Indies in three days at the same venue. Quick Fact: England won 10 of their past 11 T20 matches before this World Cup.