The fourth match of the current edition of the T20 World Cup will be played on Sunday (February 8) between the England cricket team and the Nepal cricket team in Mumbai. This will be the second match of Group C. England, led by Harry Brook, will look to start the tournament on a winning note. Meanwhile, Nepal, led by Rohit Paudel, will look to pull off an upset against England. This will be the first time the two teams will face each other.
Former champions England are ranked third in the ICC rankings. Just before the World Cup, the team made their intentions clear by winning series against New Zealand and Sri Lanka. This time, the team is under the leadership of new captain Harry Brooke. On the other side, Nepal reached this stage after remaining unbeaten in the Asian and East Asia Pacific Qualifiers. The team qualified for the World Cup by winning all of its group stage and Super Six matches. Nepal defeated Afghanistan in the 2014 World Cup. The team won only two matches in the tournament.
The English side recently won the T20 series against Sri Lanka. They have a strong mix of experienced and young players. Defeating them will be extremely difficult for Nepal, but the emerging Asisn side has many excellent players who can turn the match around. The team will have high expectations from captain Rohit. Dipendra Singh Airee is known for his explosive batting, so he will want to play a big innings. Experienced Sandeep Lamichhane will want to make a mark with his bowling.
Pitch at Wankhede Stadium
The Wankhede pitch has always been known for its runs. The short boundaries make it easier for power hitters like Phil Salt and Buttler to play big shots. While fast bowlers may find swing in the early overs, spinners are less likely to find support. The average score here is 180+, which can even go as high as 220.
Weather in Mumbai
The temperature in Mumbai on Saturday will be around 33 degrees Celsius. The high humidity may cause problems for the players. The match is in the evening, so dew will be a major factor in the second innings. According to the weather department, there is no chance of rain.
Possible playing-11 of both the teams
England: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Will Jacks, Harry Brook (c), Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Sam Curran, Jamie Overton, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid.
Nepal: Kushal Bhurtel, Asif Sheikh, Rohit Paudel (captain), Dipendra Singh Airee, Sandeep Jora, Arif Sheikh, Gulshan Jha, Lokesh Bam, Sompal Kami, Nandan Yadav, Sandeep Lamichhane.
