Holder leads Windies past Nepal and into Super Eights

MUMBAI, India, CMC – Jason Holder led a sterling bowling performance by the West Indies that helped to setup a straightforward nine-wicket victory over Nepal and send them sailing in to the Super Eight phase of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup here on Sunday.

For the third time in as many matches, the Windies’ bowlers fired on all cylinders, with Player-of-the-Match Holder’s four-wicket haul playing a major role in restricting Nepal to a paltry 133 for eight from their 20 overs, after they were sent in to bat at the Wankhede Stadium.

Captain Shai Hope then finally got among the runs, scoring an unbeaten half century, while Shimron Hetmyer continued his impressive form as the regional side coasted to 134 for one in 15.2 overs to record their third successive win in Group C.

The result carried them to a maximum six points and ensured qualification to the next stage of the tournament ahead of their final match against Italy on Thursday.

Nepal was never really in the contest after losing the toss and being asked to bat first on a pitch that offered pace and bounce for the bowlers.

Akeal Hosein struck in the day’s first over when he bowled Kushal Bhurtel through the gates with his fifth delivery.

Rohit Paudel scored just five before he was trapped lbw by Matthew Forde playing across the line, and without another run added, Jason Holder had Aasif Sheikh caught at deep fine leg with his first ball of the fifth over, to leave Nepal reeling on 17 for three.

Their efforts helped to restrict their opponents to 22 for three after six overs, the lowest Powerplay score of the 2026 World Cup to date.

Things got even worse for Nepal when Holder had Aarif Sheikh caught at midwicket for just two to see them slip further into trouble at 23 for four.

And when Lokesh Bam gloved Shamar Joseph behind and Roston Chase comprehensively bowled Gulsan Jha, Nepal crumbled to 73 for six and looked in danger of being bowled out for under 100.

But a 54-run partnership between Dipendra Airee and Sompal Kami, breathed life back into the innings.

Through their efforts, Bangladesh bludgeoned 60 runs off the last five overs, with Airee scoring 58 off 47 balls with three sixes and three fours, while Kami hit an unbeaten 26 off 15 balls with four boundaries.

Holder returned to break the partnership, however, dismissing both Airee and Karan KC in the last over to limit the damage.

He finished with figures of 4-27 from his four overs.

Needing to score at just under seven runs an over, West Indies were given a decent start by openers Brandon King and Hope, despite neither of them being at their best.

They added 43 runs for the first wicket in five and a half overs before King slapped a short delivery from Nandan Yadav straight into the hands of mid on after scoring 22 off 17 balls.

Hetmyer and Hope then shared an unbroken partnership of 91 to carry the Windies to a predictable victory.

Hetmyer was not his usual aggressive self, but it did not stop him from scoring an unbeaten 46 off 32 balls, inclusive of four fours and two sixes.

Hope started slowly, but he accelerated with the target in sight, smashing Bhurtel for a four and six off consecutive deliveries in the 13th over, before bringing up his 10th T20I half century off 38 balls by hitting Lamichhane over long off for six, as the Windies sped to 122 for one in the 15th over.

He then scored the winning runs by guiding Airee to long on for a single with 28 balls to spare to continue the Windies’ unbeaten streak at the Wankhede Stadium in T20 World Cups.