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Sher Malla's Dream Debut: First-Ball Wicket for Nepal in T20 World Cup Thriller

Young Nepali pacer Sher Malla made a sensational start to his T20 career, dismissing England's Phil Salt with his very first delivery to become only the second Nepal bowler to achieve this feat. England recovered through strong knocks from Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, and Will Jacks to post a competitive total of 184/7. In reply, Nepal mounted a fierce chase led by captain Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee, pushing England to the limit. The match culminated in a nail-biting finish where Sam Curran successfully defended 10 runs in the final over to secure a narrow victory for England.

Key Points: Nepal's Sher Malla Takes First-Ball Wicket in T20 WC Debut

  • Sher Malla takes wicket on first T20 ball
  • Joins Paras Khadka in rare feat
  • England posts 184/7 despite early blow
  • Nepal's brave chase falls just short
  • Sam Curran defends 10 in final over
2 min read

T20 WC: Sher Malla becomes second Nepal bowler to take first-ball wicket on T20 debut

Young pacer Sher Malla dismisses Phil Salt on his first ball, joining Paras Khadka in a rare feat, but England holds on for a thrilling win.

"Malla joined former Nepal captain Paras Khadka in an exclusive club - Report"

Mumbai, Feb 8

Young pacer Sher Malla etched his name into cricketing history by becoming only the second Nepal bowler to claim a wicket off the very first delivery of his T20 career during Nepal's ICC T20 World Cup 2026 clash against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.

Malla achieved the feat after extracting an edge out of England opener Phil Salt, who was returning to the side after injury, in the first ball of the second over.

Malla joined former Nepal captain Paras Khadka in an exclusive club, with Khadka being the first to achieve the feat when he dismissed Irfan Ahmed off the opening ball of his T20 career against Hong Kong in 2014.

After giving a blow to England on his first ball, Malla was expensive throughout the match, as he gave out 35 runs in just three overs; he bowled with a wicket to his name.

Speaking of the match, England recovered after a shaky start with the help of a composed partnership between T20 World Cup debutant Jacob Bethell and captain Harry Brook. The duo added 71 runs for the third wicket.

Bethell went on to score 55, while Brook added 53. They were supported by the player of the match, Will Jacks, who provided a strong finish with a 39-run knock off just 18 balls, ensuring England reached a challenging score of 184/7 in 20 overs.

Nepal responded with a fighting chase led by captain Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee, who put England under pressure with a key middle-order partnership. Paudel and Dipendra Singh built a strong partnership, followed by a late assault by Lokesh Ram, which helped Nepal come close to registering their first win in the T20 World Cup. However, Sam Curran bowled an excellent final over, defending 10 runs to guide England to victory in a thrilling encounter.

Nepal will play their next T20 World Cup group stage match against Italy at the same ground on February 12.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As a cricket fan in Mumbai, it's fantastic to see these matches happening here. The crowd support for Nepal was heartwarming. They played with so much spirit and came so close! A great advertisement for the global game.
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Aditya G
A historic moment for sure, but the article rightly points out he was expensive later. That's the challenge for young bowlers - maintaining consistency after a dream start. He has the talent, needs to work on his death bowling. All the best to him!
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Priya S
Nepal's cricket team is such an inspiration. They fight with so much heart despite limited resources. Paudel and Airee's partnership was brilliant. They are no longer just associates; they are proper competitors. Jai Nepal! 🙌
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Michael C
That must have been an electric atmosphere at Wankhede. Credit to England for holding their nerve, Sam Curran is a proven finisher. But the real story is Nepal's performance. The gap between full members and associates is closing fast.
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Kavya N
Feeling so proud of our Himalayan neighbours! They took the game to the last over against the defending champions. This is why we love the T20 World Cup - it gives smaller nations a platform to shine. More matches for teams like Nepal, please!

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