Mumbai/Chennai, February 8, 2026: England and New Zealand registered hard-fought victories in their opening fixtures of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Sunday, overcoming Nepal and Afghanistan respectively in two closely contested encounters.
At Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium, England narrowly defeated Nepal by four runs after setting a target of 185. Nepal mounted a strong chase, with openers Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh providing an aggressive start before Liam Dawson removed Sheikh for seven. Bhurtel followed soon after for a brisk 29.
Captain Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee then rebuilt the innings with a crucial 82-run partnership. Airee scored a fluent 44 off 29 balls, while Paudel contributed 39, but England clawed back through timely breakthroughs. Lokesh Bam’s quickfire 39 off 20 deliveries kept Nepal in contention, leaving them 10 runs short heading into the final over. Sam Curran held his nerve, conceding just five runs to seal the victory.
Earlier, England recovered from an early setback after Phil Salt fell cheaply. Jacob Bethell anchored the innings with a solid 55 off 35 balls, while captain Harry Brook added 53 from 32 deliveries. Will Jacks provided a late flourish with an unbeaten 39 off 18 balls, guiding England to a competitive total.
Meanwhile, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, Tim Seifert’s explosive half-century powered New Zealand to a five-wicket win over Afghanistan with 13 balls to spare in the tournament’s fourth match.
Chasing 183, New Zealand stumbled early as Mujeeb Ur Rahman dismissed Finn Allen and Rachin Ravindra in quick succession. However, Seifert and Glenn Phillips staged a remarkable recovery with a 74-run partnership for the third wicket. Phillips scored 42 off 25 balls before being dismissed by Rashid Khan.
Seifert led the charge with a superb 65 off 42 deliveries, and despite a brief wobble after his departure, Daryl Mitchell (25 not out) and skipper Mitchell Santner (17 not out) guided the Blackcaps home with an unbeaten 33-run stand.
Afghanistan had earlier posted 182/6 after choosing to bat first. Gulbadin Naib top-scored with 63 off 35 balls, supported by Sediqullah Atal’s 29 during a vital 79-run partnership. Lockie Ferguson was the pick of the bowlers for New Zealand with two wickets, while Matt Henry and others chipped in with key breakthroughs.
The results mark strong starts for both England and New Zealand as the tournament gathers momentum with a series of tightly fought matches.
