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MUMBAI, India — For much of a warm, crisp Sunday afternoon in Mumbai, Wankhede Stadium felt closer to Kathmandu than the southern Indian metropolis, as thousands of Nepali fans sang, danced and dreamed as their cricket team took on powerhouse England in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
A sea of red and blue replica shirts filled every inch of the iconic 33,000-seater venue as supporters turned the famous Indian Stadium into a second home.
A banner reading ‘Feel the Thrill’ was hung in the stands, perfectly capturing the atmosphere as chants, drums and Nepali songs echoed throughout the ground.
Fans of all ages, from children who arrived with the national flag painted on their faces to older supporters proudly wearing Dhaka Topi, the traditional Nepali hat, gathered in what felt like a cricket festival steeped in Nepali culture.
“We almost won.”
On the pitch, Nepal’s players produced one of their most memorable performances in recent years, with the game ending in heartbreak as the team’s energetic pursuit narrowly fell short on the final ball.
Nepal will go into the match against two-time champions England knowing full well that there is a huge gap in experience and pedigree compared to their opponents.
But they hoped their greed, intensity and fearless approach to the game would allow them to stay firmly in the contest.
Chasing a challenging target of 185, the Rhinos proved why they are one of the most promising teams in associate cricket with late heroics from Lokesh Bam and onslaught from Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airi to take the contest to the last ball.
Subodh Dhakal, a Nepali fan visiting from Kathmandu, told Al Jazeera, “We almost won, but we couldn’t because the players lacked experience.” “Experience comes with time, but the team played well.”
Dhakal, who is a doctor and an ardent supporter of Nepal, planned the short two-day trip after watching the Nepal Premier League, a domestic league that is central to the country’s development.
Just like Dakar, Satyam Pokhrel also headed to Mumbai from Nepal’s capital. Pokhrel joined a group of friends and revealed his plans to remain for the remaining three matches against Nepal, scheduled at the same venue.
“Nepal had a chance (to win) but was unlucky,” he said. “The game was very close. I’m proud of the team. They showed great energy and are capable of winning the upcoming games.”
Sunday’s heroics against England were not the first time Nepal have tormented stronger opponents. Five months before the World Cup, they defeated West Indies 2–1 in three consecutive matches, their first bilateral series win against a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Meanwhile, they came very close to defeating South Africa in the T20 World Cup in 2024.
Nepal first appeared in this tournament in 2014 and achieved a famous victory against the highly rated Afghanistan team.
“Please don’t leave us out.”
For many in the stands, becoming part of that atmosphere was as much a trip down memory lane as the game itself.
Bhuvan Rawal arrived in Mumbai on a three-day bus ride from Tikapur in far western Nepal.
“I didn’t care about the time or money it takes to come here. Watching Nepal play in the World Cup is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me,” the 26-year-old said.
“We came with about 200 to 300 supporters from Nepal. We knew the match schedule from last year and were excited to come to Wankhede Stadium…Mumbai is now our second home!”
Rawal, who played cricket in his youth and works as a trainer at a gym, believes that lower-ranked teams like Nepal are not just here to make up for the T20 World Cup, which has been expanded to 20 teams.
“We may be a small country, but Nepal is very beautiful and we can play great cricket. I understand that there is a difference between full members and associate teams of the ICC, but please don’t exclude us.
“No team is too small to challenge the Giants,” he said.
