Harry Brook and Rohit Paudel Praise Curran’s Composure as England Edge Past Nepal in Mumbai

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England survived a tense finish in Mumbai as Sam Curran’s exceptional death bowling proved decisive in a narrow victory over Nepal. With just four runs separating the teams in the final over, the contrast between the two sides’ execution under pressure told the story of the match. Nepal’s Karan KC conceded 21 runs in the 20th over, including three towering sixes from Will Jacks, while Curran held his nerve to give away only five runs, repeatedly nailing his yorkers to close out a nerve-jangling win.

Both captains agreed that Curran’s final over was the turning point. England skipper Harry Brook described the performance as “unbelievable,” highlighting Curran’s clarity and calmness under pressure. Nepal captain Rohit Paudel echoed those sentiments, admitting that death-over execution was an area his team needed to improve. Paudel praised Curran’s ability to deliver yorkers and slower balls at the crucial moment, acknowledging how difficult such skills are to execute in the final over.

Curran later revealed that his approach was shaped by an unlikely memory: Ben Stokes’ final over in the 2016 T20 World Cup final. Determined to trust his plan, Curran committed fully to bowling six yorkers, accepting the risk if he missed his execution. By focusing on the batter’s footwork and sticking to his strengths, he ensured England crossed the line in a game that could easily have gone the other way.

The England allrounder also praised Nepal’s competitiveness, noting that their performance underlined the growing strength of Associate nations. With other close results in the tournament involving the Netherlands and the USA, Curran suggested that the World Cup would be fiercely contested throughout. He admitted to feeling nervous at the death but credited England’s composure for getting the job done.

Curran finished with figures of 1 for 27, including the vital wicket of Dipendra Singh Airee, who had added 81 runs with Paudel in a crucial partnership. Brook had to manage his bowling resources carefully, especially with Adil Rashid having an unusually expensive outing. Despite the challenges, Brook said England stayed calm and trusted their plans, confident in the depth and variety of their bowling attack.

Nepal’s tactics at the death also came under scrutiny, as they conceded 45 runs in the final three overs. The decision not to complete Airee’s full quota of overs proved costly, while Karan KC struggled to contain Will Jacks’ clean hitting. Jacks later revealed that Nepal had considered bowling Airee in the final over, underlining just how fine the margins were in the closing stages.

Jacks’ unbeaten 39 off 18 balls—his second-highest T20I score—earned him the player-of-the-match award and highlighted England’s efforts to develop him as a reliable finisher at No. 7. In the end, though, it was Sam Curran’s ice-cool final over that stood out, showcasing why death bowling remains one of the most decisive skills in modern T20 cricket.