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Nepal nearly made cricketing history on Sunday at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Chasing 185 to win, the Himalayan nation fell short a sensational victory in the final over of the game . Lokesh Bam was the hero on the evening, coming close to sealing one of the biggest cricketing upsets in T20 World Cup history. Sam Curran defended 10 in the final over to clinch a 4-run win.

Nepal gave two-time World Champions England the jitters before losing by four runs in their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Group C match at the Wankhede Stadium, here on Sunday.

Chasing a stiff 185 for a historic victory, Nepal were sniffing the unthinkable at one point with Lokesh Bam playing a blinder of an innings scoring 39 off 20 balls but with 10 runs required off the last over, Nepal’s inexperience eventually showed up as they fell short by four runs finishing at 180/6 in 20 overs.

Earlier, in the chase of 185, Nepal were off to a flying start with Kushal Bhurtel leading from the front as he smashed 29 off 17 balls to give his team the impetus.

Nepal reached 47/2 after the powerplay as they looked to build pressure on the English bowlers. Skipper Rohit Paudel was turning it on for Nepal as he slammed England’s Adil Rashid for a massive six while Dipendra Singh Airee cracked two fours.

It was the 14^th over where Nepal absolutely pressed the pedal with Paudel and Airee letting loose as 19 runs came off the over bowled by Adil Rashid. Nepal were 123/2 in 14 overs requiring 62 runs off 36 balls at a required rate of 10.33 per over. The game was nicely balanced at this stage with Nepal sniffing a chance to create history against the two-time World Champions.

However, when they lost Paudel for 39 off Liam Dawson’s bowling and caught by Phil Salt, Nepal’s hopes were diminishing. Then came the 18^th over where 18 runs were scored off the Jofra Archer over with Lokesh Bam banging two sixes. In the 19^th over off Luke Wood, Lokesh Bam struck two fours as the Nepalese got closer and closer to scripting history.

However, it was not to be.

Minnows Nepal showed they are no muck at the highest level stunning England early on in the powerplay when debutant Sher Malla scalped his first wicket of the first ball of the first over he bowled against Phil Salt.

Salt was caught by Sandeep Lamichhane off Malla’s bowling as the English suffered an early jolt against an inexperienced Nepal side.

Thereafter, England picked up their game with the veteran Jos Buttler getting his act together cracking a few boundaries to keep the scoreboard ticking.

Buttler and Jacob Bethell shared a 38-run partnership before the former was scalped by Nandan Yadav when he had him snapped up by Aasif Sheikh for 26 off 17 balls. Tom Banton didn’t last for too long either as he was trapped leg before by Lamichhane for just two runs as England slipped to 57/3.

Skipper Harry Brook and Bethell then stitched together a 71-run partnership which resurrected the England innings and put them on course for a 180-plus total.

Bethell smashed 55 off 35 balls that included four boundaries and as many sixes with a strike rate of 157.14 which sort of laid the platform for England. Brook further consolidated that as he kept going strong at 45 off 25 balls with four fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 180.

Although Dipendra Singh Airee sent back Bethell for 55 with England on 128/4, Brook’s presence ensured England were on track to post a healthy score.

New batter Sam Curran had an early departure as he was castled by Airee for two as England lost a bit of momentum and were at 137/5 in 15.3 overs.

In the 19^th over, Brook brought up his half-century with a cracker of a six off Nandan Yadav getting to the milestone in 31 balls.

However, the party was over the very next ball as he holed out to Sher Malla as England slipped to 157/6 in 18.2 overs.

Will Jacks went on a rampage in the 20^th over against Karan KC as he blasted two consecutive sixes on the second and third ball of the over and a massive flat six off the last ball as England reached 184/7 in 20 overs.