Last Updated on 2 months ago by Charbel Coorey

England will lock horns against Nepal in the 5th game of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The match will be played at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on 8th February 2026, at 3 PM IST.

England recently won a T20I series against Sri Lanka, and they’ll be pretty confident coming to this tournament. Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Sam Curran, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Jofra Archer, and Adil Rashid will be the core players for England. 

Harry Brook’s team have good balance and depth with a strong mix of youth and experience. Adil Rashid will lead the spin attack with Liam Dawson, Jacob Bethell, and Will Jacks assisting him. They have a very explosive batting unit, which is their key strength. England will be eager to finally do well in an ICC tournament, and this is a great opportunity for them to do well here. 

Meanwhile, it’s a great opportunity for Nepal to cause an upset. They have the players who are capable of causing England issues. Dipendra Singh Airee, Sandeep Lamichhane, Aasif Sheikh, and others can defeat any side on their day. 

Nepal’s biggest challenge for this game will be their batting, as they’ll have to be at their best to compete with England’s lineup. They defeated UAE and Canada by seven wickets and six wickets, respectively, in the warm-up matches. 

ICC T20 World Cup 2026 5th Match: ENG vs NEP Probable Playing XIs

England: 1. Phil Salt, 2. Jos Buttler (wk), 3. Jacob Bethell, 4. Tom Banton, 5. Harry Brook (c), 6. Sam Curran, 7. Will Jacks, 8. Liam Dawson, 9. Jofra Archer, 10. Adil Rashid, 11. Luke Wood

Nepal: 1. Kushal Bhurtel, 2. Aasif Sheikh (wk), 3. Sundeep Jora, 4. Gulshan Jha, 5. Dipendra Singh Airee, 6. Aarif Sheikh, 7. Karan KC, 8. Sompal Kami, 9. Sher Malla, 10. Sandeep Lamichhane, 11. Nandan Yadav/Sompal Kami

Wankhede Stadium Mumbai Pitch Report and Weather

You generally expect a good batting track at the Wankhede Stadium, but the first game played here (India vs USA) saw good grip and turn. There will be movement on offer for the pacers with the new ball, and spinners will be crucial. Teams will opt to chase if they win the toss, and batting conditions largely should be good.

The weather will be clear with no chance of rain, and the temperature will be around 25-26 degrees Celsius at the start of the game.

Fantasy Cricket Tips for ENG vs NEP T20 World Cup 2026 5th Match: Players to Watch/Key Stats

Top Wicket-Keeper Picks:  

• Jos Buttler scored 81 runs in three games in the recent series against Sri Lanka. He had an average SA20 in 2025-26, but he’s a class player and will be a must in your fantasy teams. Buttler will be a top C/VC choice too.
• Phil Salt looks to attack from the word go and can take the game away from Nepal if he plays for 6-8 overs. Salt is another must-have in your fantasy teams and a top C/VC option.

Key batter picks: 

• Jacob Bethell will bat at 3 and may bowl a few overs if needed. His batting form is not that great coming to the ICC T20 WC 2026, but he is a utility player who can fetch points from both bat and ball.

Top all-rounder picks: 

• Sam Curran has been in good form lately. He won the ILT20 leading the Desert Vipers. Curran may not get enough opportunity to make an impact with the bat, but he’ll bowl his full quota and will be a top captain pick. 
• Liam Dawson can bowl in any phase of the innings. He is a wicket-taker and will be a key bowler for England, especially in the first six overs.

Key bowler picks: 

• Adil Rashid is a master of his art (leg-spin), and he will be a good C/VC pick. Rashid is a proven wicket-taker and can go through Nepal’s middle order on his day. He was in good form in the recent T20I series against New Zealand.
• Jofra Archer will lead England’s pace attack. With his pace and ability to swing the new ball, Archer will be a must-pick. He can pick up a few wickets in the powerplay itself. 
• Sandeep Lamichhane will be Nepal’s best bet against England’s batting. He can trouble England’s middle order in this match. Sandeep can fetch good points in fantasy cricket, and you should back him.

Other Players to Consider for Your Fantasy Cricket Teams

• Jamie Overton
• Luke Wood
• Karan KC
• Aasif Sheikh

Other Stats and Facts 

• This will be the first T20I between Nepal and England.
• Nepal have won their last five five T20Is while England have won four of their last five with one abandoned due to rain.
• Jos Buttler has a solid T20 record at the Wankhede: 28 inns, 829 runs, avg. 33.2, SR 143.4.

ICC T20 World Cup 2026 5th Match: ENG vs NEP Dream11 Prediction Today

Note: The below teams are not based on the final playing XIs. We may not be able to update these in time. Use the stats and commentary in this article, as well as your own instincts, to create your teams.

Option 1:

Option 2:

ICC T20 World Cup 2026 5th Match: ENG vs NEP Match Prediction: Who will win?

Nepal lacks depth and quality in their batting, especially compared to England. They’ll have to be on their toes, particularly with the bat. Bowlers too have to be on their toes. 

England to win.

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All statistics and matchups in this article have been verified by ESPNcricinfo, and Cricmetric.