Introduction
The latest and most relevant Scotland vs Nepal men’s international was their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Group C match at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on February 17, 2026. Nepal produced a memorable seven-wicket victory, chasing Scotland’s 170/7 with four balls to spare. Michael Jones was the standout batter for Scotland, scoring 71 from 45 balls, but Nepal’s chase was ultimately shaped by a strong opening stand and a remarkable late assault from Dipendra Singh Airee. Airee smashed an unbeaten 50 from only 23 deliveries at a strike rate of 217.39, while Gulshan Jha finished 24 not out from 17 balls. Nepal reached 171/3 in 19.2 overs. The result was especially significant because it gave Nepal their first T20 World Cup victory since 2014, ending a 12-year wait for a win in the tournament.
Quick Match Summary
| Detail | Information |
| Match | Scotland vs Nepal, Match 33, Group C |
| Tournament | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 |
| Date | February 17, 2026 |
| Venue | Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai |
| Toss | Nepal won the toss and fielded first |
| Scotland | 170/7 in 20 overs |
| Nepal | 171/3 in 19.2 overs |
| Result | Nepal won by 7 wickets |
| Balls remaining | 4 |
| Player of the Match | Dipendra Singh Airee |
| Top scorer, Scotland | Michael Jones – 71 |
| Top scorer, Nepal | Dipendra Singh Airee – 50* |
Nepal’s successful chase and the seven-wicket margin are confirmed by the ICC match centre and independent scorecards. (icc)
Match Scorecard
Scotland Innings – 170/7 in 20 Overs
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
| George Munsey | 27 | 29 | 4 | 0 | 93.10 |
| Michael Jones | 71 | 45 | 8 | 3 | 157.78 |
| Brandon McMullen | 25 | 19 | 1 | 1 | 131.58 |
| Richie Berrington | 10 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 166.67 |
| Tom Bruce | 5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 83.33 |
| Matthew Cross | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 200.00 |
| Michael least | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 50.00 |
| Mark Watt | 10* | 4 | 0 | 1 | 250.00 |
| Oliver Davidson | 1* | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Total | 170/7 | 20 overs | 8.50 RPO |
Nepal bowling: Sompal Kami 3/25, Nandan Yadav 2/34, Rohit Paudel 1/12 and Kushal Bhurtel 1/37.
Nepal Innings – 171/3 in 19.2 Overs
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
| Kushal Bhurtel | 43 | 35 | 1 | 4 | 122.86 |
| Aasif Sheikh | 33 | 27 | 0 | 2 | 122.22 |
| Rohit Paudel | 16 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 114.29 |
| Dipendra Singh Airee | 50* | 23 | 4 | 3 | 217.39 |
| Gulshan Jha | 24* | 17 | 1 | 2 | 141.18 |
| Total | 171/3 | 19.2 overs | 8.84 RPO |
Scotland bowling: Michael least 3/30, while Brandon McMullen, Brad Currie, Mark Watt, Brad Wheal and Oliver Davidson went wicketless.
Winning Team Innings Analysis
Nepal’s chase was built in two distinct phases. The opening pair of Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh immediately put Scotland under pressure. Nepal reached 50 without losing a wicket in only 5.1 overs and moved to 56/0 at the end of the powerplay. Their opening partnership eventually reached 74 before Michael least removed Bhurtel in the 10th over.
Bhurtel’s 43 from 35 balls was important because it prevented Scotland from controlling the required rate early. Aasif added 33 from 27 before also falling to least, leaving Nepal 87/2.
Rohit Paudel’s dismissal at 98/3 briefly gave Scotland an opportunity. least had taken all three wickets, and Nepal suddenly needed 73 from 40 balls.
That was when Dipendra Singh Airee changed the match.
Airee attacked immediately and found the boundary regularly. His unbeaten 50 from 23 balls included four fours and three sixes. His strike rate of 217.39 meant Nepal did not need a desperate final-over finish. Gulshan Jha provided excellent support with 24* from 17.
Their unbeaten fourth-wicket partnership was worth 73 from only 36 balls, taking Nepal from 98/3 to 171/3.
Chasing Team Innings Analysis
Scotland’s 170/7 was competitive, but Nepal’s chase showed why the target was never completely safe.
Michael Jones was the main architect of Scotland’s innings. After George Munsey made 27, Jones accelerated dramatically and scored 71 from 45 balls, including eight fours and three sixes. He reached his second T20I fifty from 31 balls.
Brandon McMullen added 25 from 19 balls, and the pair helped Scotland move beyond 130. Jones was dismissed at 132/2 in the 16th over, followed quickly by McMullen at 133/3.
Scotland still reached 170 thanks to late contributions from Richie Berrington and Mark Watt. Watt’s unbeaten 10 from four balls included a six from the final delivery, giving Scotland momentum at the end.
The problem was that Scotland’s total required their bowlers to strike consistently. Nepal’s top order absorbed the pressure, and Airee’s late hitting ultimately made 170 look slightly below par.
Bowling Analysis
Sompal Kami was Scotland’s most effective bowler. His 3/25 from four overs removed Michael Jones, Brandon McMullen and Tom Bruce. His spell was particularly valuable because Jones was threatening to take Scotland beyond 180.
Nandan Yadav took 2/34, including the wickets of Matthew Cross and Michael least. Rohit Paudel and Kushal Bhurtel also contributed a wicket apiece.
For Scotland, Michael least produced the standout spell with 3/30 from four overs. He broke Nepal’s opening partnership by dismissing Bhurtel, then removed Aasif Sheikh and Rohit Paudel.
But Scotland’s bowling attack could not stop Airee. Once Nepal’s final pair settled, the required rate became manageable because Airee’s boundary hitting consistently erased pressure.
Turning Point
The decisive moment came after Nepal slipped to 98/3 in 13.2 overs.
At that point, Scotland had removed the three batters who had done most of the early work. Nepal needed 73 runs from 40 balls, and the match appeared genuinely balanced.
Airee, however, turned the equation around almost immediately. He and Gulshan Jha added 50 from only 27 balls and continued attacking into the final overs.
The partnership ultimately reached 73 from 36 deliveries. Airee’s unbeaten 50 was completed from 23 balls, and Nepal finished the chase with four balls remaining.
The turning point was therefore not simply a wicket or a single over. It was Nepal’s ability to turn a potentially tense chase into an aggressive finish after reaching 98/3.
Key Match Statistics
| Statistic | Figure |
| Scotland | 170/7 |
| Nepal | 171/3 |
| Winning margin | 7 wickets |
| Balls remaining | 4 |
| Scotland run rate | 8.50 |
| Nepal run rate | 8.84 |
| Michael Jones | 71 off 45 |
| Dipendra Singh Airee | 50 off 23* |
| Kushal Bhurtel | 43 off 35 |
| Aasif Sheikh | 33 off 27 |
| Gulshan Jha | 24* off 17 |
| Michael least | 3/30 |
| Sompal Kami | 3/25 |
| Airee–Jha partnership | 73 off 36* |
The match figures show how closely the contest was positioned until Nepal’s final partnership accelerated the chase.
Records & Milestones
- Nepal recorded their first T20 World Cup victory since 2014, ending a 12-year wait for a win in the tournament. (icc)
- Dipendra Singh Airee scored his 12th T20I half-century, reaching 50 from just 23 balls.
- Airee was named Player of the Match after scoring 50* and taking 0/23.
- Michael Jones registered his second T20I fifty, making 71 from 45 balls.
- Nepal’s 171/3 was their highest T20I total against Scotland, surpassing the previous scores recorded in their first three T20I meetings. (MyKhel)
Head-to-Head Record
In men’s T20Is, Scotland and Nepal had met three times before the 2026 World Cup match. Nepal won the first meeting in June 2025 by two wickets, Scotland responded with a 34-run victory three days later, and Nepal won the World Cup encounter by seven wickets.
That leaves Nepal with a 2-1 advantage in their T20I head-to-head record after three completed meetings.
Their broader white-ball rivalry is much larger. They have also played numerous ODI/League 2 matches, producing several close finishes, including Nepal’s one-wicket victory in June 2025 and Scotland’s two-run win in the same month.
What This Result Means
For Nepal, this was one of the most significant wins in their modern T20I history. The victory ended a long wait for a T20 World Cup win and demonstrated that the team could chase a competitive total against a strong Scotland side on a major tournament stage. ICC described the result as a memorable win in Mumbai.
The victory also showed Nepal’s batting depth. Bhurtel and Aasif established the chase, least’s three wickets created a scare, and Airee then provided the finishing power.
For Scotland, the defeat highlighted the fine margins of T20 cricket. Jones’ 71 gave them a strong platform, and their 170/7 was a respectable total. But losing wickets during the final phase meant they did not reach the kind of score that could have put Nepal under sustained pressure.
The match also strengthened Nepal’s recent T20I rivalry advantage, with the side winning two of their three meetings with Scotland.
Conclusion
Nepal defeated Scotland by seven wickets in a memorable Group C match at the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup. Scotland’s 170/7, powered by Michael Jones’ 71, appeared competitive, particularly after Nepal slipped to 98/3.
But Dipendra Singh Airee produced the decisive innings. His unbeaten 50 from 23 balls completely changed the chase, while Gulshan Jha’s 24* provided valuable support. The pair’s 73-run partnership from 36 balls carried Nepal to 171/3 with four deliveries remaining.
For Scotland, Sompal Kami’s 3/25 and Michael least’s 3/30 were strong individual efforts, but Nepal’s late acceleration proved too much. More importantly, the result ended Nepal’s 12-year wait for a T20 World Cup victory and added another memorable chapter to the Scotland-Nepal cricket rivalry.
SEO FAQs
1. Who won Scotland vs Nepal in the 2026 T20 World Cup?
Nepal defeated Scotland by seven wickets, chasing 171 with four balls remaining.
2. What was the Scotland vs Nepal scorecard?
Scotland scored 170/7 in 20 overs, while Nepal reached 171/3 in 19.2 overs.
3. Who scored the most runs for Scotland?
Michael Jones was Scotland’s highest scorer with 71 runs from 45 balls, including eight fours and three sixes.
4. Who was Player of the Match?
Dipendra Singh Airee was Player of the Match after scoring 50* from 23 balls and taking 0/23.
5. How many wickets did Michael Leask take?
Michael Leask took 3 wickets for 30 runs from four overs.
6. How fast did Dipendra Singh Airee score his fifty?
Airee reached his half-century from 23 balls, with four fours and three sixes.
7. What is the Scotland vs Nepal T20I head-to-head record?
After their February 2026 meeting, Nepal lead the T20I head-to-head 2-1.
8. Why was the Scotland vs Nepal match historically important?
It gave Nepal their first T20 World Cup victory since 2014, ending a 12-year wait for a win in the competition.
