MUMBAI: West Indies produced a dominant all-round performance to comfortably chase down a 134-run target against Nepal and secure qualification for the Super Eights stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.
Chasing a modest target of 134, the Caribbean side made light work of the total, losing just one wicket in 15.2 overs, thanks to stellar performances from Shimron Hetmyer and captain Shai Hope.
The innings began strongly with openers Brandon King and Shai Hope putting together a 43-run stand in a low-scoring contest. King fell for 22 off 17 balls, striking four boundaries before being dismissed.
Hetmyer then joined Hope, and the pair built an unbroken partnership that propelled West Indies past the target with ease.
Shai Hope remained unbeaten on 61 off 44 deliveries, reaching his 10th T20I fifty with five fours and three sixes, while Shimron Hetmyer scored 46 off 32 balls, including four boundaries and two sixes.
Batting first, Nepal suffered an early blow as Kushal Bhurtel was dismissed for just one run off three balls by Akeal Hosein in the very first over.
The innings continued to wobble, with skipper Rohit Paudel and wicketkeeper Aasif Shaikh falling cheaply for five and 11 runs, respectively, to Matthew Forde and Jason Holder, leaving Nepal struggling at 17-3 in 4.1 overs.
Holder struck again to remove Aarif Sheikh for two runs, while Shamar Joseph dismissed Lokesh Bam for 13 off 15 deliveries, featuring two fours.
Roston Chase then accounted for Gulsan Jha, who scored 11 off 14, as Nepal’s score slumped to 73-6 in the 15th over.
A late partnership between Dipendra Singh Airee and Sompal Kami steadied the innings, adding 54 runs and helping Nepal cross the 100-run mark.
Airee brought up his fifty, finishing on 58 off 47 balls with three fours and three sixes.
However, the partnership was broken when Dipendra fell, and Karan KC was dismissed by Holder in the same over, leaving Nepal at 127-8 in 19.2 overs.
Sompal Kami remained unbeaten on 26 off 15 deliveries, contributing four boundaries, as Nepal posted a total of 133-8.
Jason Holder starred for the Caribbean team, taking 4/27 in four overs, while Roston Chase, Shamar Joseph, Matthew Forde and Akeal Hosein contributed one wicket each.
Playing XIs
Nepal: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Rohit Paudel (c), Dipendra Singh Airee, Aarif Sheikh, Lokesh Bam, Gulsan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav and Sandeep Lamichhane.
West Indies: Brandon King, Shai Hope (c/wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Roston Chase, Sherfane Rutherford, Rovman Powell, Jason Holder, Matthew Forde, Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie and Shamar Joseph.
