Brandon King (left) and captain Shai Hope run between the wickets through the 2026 ICC Males’s T20 Cricket World Cup group stage match in opposition to Nepal on the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 15, 2026. — AFP
West Indies comfortably chased down the 134-run goal to beat Nepal and qualify for the Tremendous Eights stage of ICC Males’s T20 World Cup 2026 at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on Sunday.
Chasing a modest goal of 134, the Caribbean facet made gentle work of the full, dropping only one wicket in 15.2 overs, due to stellar performances from Shimron Hetmyer and captain Shai Hope.
The innings started strongly with openers Brandon King and Shai Hope placing collectively a 43-run stand in a low-scoring contest. King fell for 22 off 17 balls, hanging 4 boundaries earlier than being dismissed.
Hetmyer then joined Hope, and the pair constructed an unbroken partnership that propelled West Indies previous the goal with ease.
Shai Hope remained unbeaten on 61 off 44 deliveries, reaching his tenth T20I fifty with 5 fours and three sixes, whereas Shimron Hetmyer scored 46 off 32 balls, together with 4 boundaries and two sixes.
Batting first, Nepal suffered an early blow as Kushal Bhurtel was dismissed for only one run off three balls by Akeal Hosein within the very first over.
The innings continued to wobble, with skipper Rohit Paudel and wicketkeeper Aasif Shaikh falling cheaply for 5 and 11 runs, respectively, to Matthew Forde and Jason Holder, leaving Nepal struggling at 17-3 in 4.1 overs.
Holder struck once more to take away Aarif Sheikh for 2 runs, whereas Shamar Joseph dismissed Lokesh Bam for 13 off 15 deliveries, that includes two fours.
Roston Chase then accounted for Gulsan Jha, who scored 11 off 14, as Nepal’s rating slumped to 73-6 within the fifteenth over.
A late partnership between Dipendra Singh Airee and Sompal Kami steadied the innings, including 54 runs and serving to Nepal cross the 100-run mark.
Airee introduced up his fifty, ending on 58 off 47 balls with three fours and three sixes.
Nonetheless, the partnership was damaged when Dipendra fell, and Karan KC was dismissed by Holder in the identical over, leaving Nepal at 127-8 in 19.2 overs.
Sompal Kami remained unbeaten on 26 off 15 deliveries, contributing 4 boundaries, as Nepal posted a complete of 133-8.
Jason Holder starred for the Caribbean workforce, taking 4/27 in 4 overs, whereas Roston Chase, Shamar Joseph, Matthew Forde and Akeal Hosein contributed one wicket every.
Enjoying 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.
