Scotland takes on Nepal this Tuesday in a match that could save their T20 World Cup dream. One big win might keep the Scots alive. One heavy defeat will send them home.
The stakes could not be higher. Scotland sit third in Group C with two points and a healthy Net Run Rate, but England and West Indies are ahead. If England beat Italy later, Scotland must win big against Nepal to have any chance of reaching the Super 8.
Nepal have lost both games so far and are already out of semi-final contention. Yet pride is still on the line for the Himalayan side in their last match of the 2026 tournament.
Group C Standings Right Now
| Team | Played | Won | Lost | Points | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Indies | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | +1.876 |
| England | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | +1.123 |
| Scotland | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | +0.456 |
| Italy | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | -0.789 |
| Nepal | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -2.345 |
Scotland’s Net Run Rate is their lifeline. A victory by 50-plus runs or chasing inside 14 overs could push them ahead of Italy or even England, depending on other results.
Scotland Need Their Big Guns to Fire
Richie Berrington’s team started with a shock win over Italy but then fell hard to West Indies and England. The batting has looked shaky outside the opening pair.
George Munsey and Brandon McMullen have carried the load. Munsey smashed 87 off 45 balls against Italy, while McMullen has three fifties in his last five T20 innings. If those two click again, Scotland can post or chase anything.
The middle order must step up. Matthew Cross, Michael Leask and Mark Watt have managed only 84 runs combined in the tournament so far. They face a Nepal attack that swings the new ball and grips it in the middle overs with Sandeep Lamichhane and the left-arm spin of Lalit Rajbanshi.
Bowling is Scotland’s stronger suit. Brad Currie and Chris Sole have taken wickets upfront, while Safyaan Sharif has been tight at the death. They restricted West Indies to 68 in the last eight overs of their chase. Repeat that discipline and Nepal will struggle to reach 140.
Nepal Want to Sign Off with a Bang
Rohit Paudel admitted after the England defeat: “We have not played our best cricket yet. This last game is for our fans back home.”
Nepal’s batting has collapsed too often. Kushal Bhurtel looked in fine touch with 41 against West Indies, but no one has gone past 50 in the tournament.
Dipendra Singh Airee remains their X-factor. The all-rounder can change games with bat or ball in two overs. If he fires, even Scotland will feel the heat.
Lamichhane is back after his visa issues and took 3 for 19 against Italy in the warm-ups. On slow Indian pitches he is always dangerous.
Head-to-Head History
Scotland and Nepal have played five T20Is.
Scotland won 3, Nepal won 2.
Average first innings score when they meet: 158.
Biggest chase: Nepal chased 181 in Kirtipur in 2023.
Munsey averages 68 against Nepal. Lamichhane has taken 7 Scottish wickets at 12.4.
Both teams love spin. Expect captains to bowl their slow bowlers heavily after the powerplay.
Match Details and Where to Watch
Date: Tuesday, 17 February 2026
Venue: Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi
Time: 7:30 PM IST
Live on: Star Sports Network, Disney+ Hotstar
Weather: Clear, 24°C, no rain threat. Dew could play a big role in the second innings.
Scotland will bowl first if they win the toss. Chasing under lights with dew has been the winning formula in Delhi this week.
This is more than a dead rubber for Scotland. It is survival. For Nepal, it is pride and a chance to remind the world they belong at this level.
One team will leave the World Cup with heads high. The other will fly home wondering what might have been.
Cricket can be cruel, but it is moments like these that make it beautiful.
What do you think? Can Scotland keep their dream alive, or will Nepal pull off the upset of the tournament? Drop your predictions in the comments below.
