1.1 OUT! CAUGHT! What a start to his T20I career! Boy o boy, if dreams do ever come true, this is one of those instances. First ball in T20I cricket, and that too, in a World Cup clash. Flighted, around off, coming in with the angle, Phil Salt looks to take the offie on and goes for the big slog across the line. But the extra bounce does him in and he only manages a top edge. The ball goes straight up in the air, but only as far as short fine leg. Sandeep Lamichhane makes no mistake over there and the entire Nepal team starts to celebrate. In fact, the bowler himself starts to leap in the air in celebration but when he lands, he loses balance and trips over! Thankfully, he has not hurt himself. Salt departs for 1 (2) and England are 5/1 after 1.1 overs! 5/1

4.3 OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! And both openers are back in the pavillion inside the 5th over! Nandan bends his back, landing it outside off and getting it to move away. Buttler pushes at it but the delivery was bowled seam up and generated extra bit of movement and bounce. Only manages a thick outside edge to the keeper behind and Aasif Sheikh makes no mistake. Buttler departs after a fiery 26 (17) and England are 43/2 after 4.3 overs! 43/2

13.4 OUT! CAUGHT! At last, Nepal break the 71-run stand. Floated, outside off, Bethell looks to go downtown. But probably, this is the first occasion where we can say, the ball actually stopped on the surface. Bethell was through his shot early and while he was aiming straight, because the shot got played early, the stroke got miscued towards long on. Easy catch for Lokesh Bam at the ropes. Bethell walks off shaking his head, but his 55 (35) has put England in a good position at 128/4 after 13.4 overs! 128/4

6.1 OUT! LBW! If the debutant can strike on the first ball, how can the senior pro be far behind? But hang on, Banton has taken the review. Tossed up, around off, Tom Banton got down to play the reverse but missed and was hit on the pads. Lamichhane went up in an appeal for LBW and the umpire agreed almost instantaneously, given how straight it was. Banton walked across to his partner Bethell and after a bit of discussion signalled for the review. Height seemed to be the only factor involved but Ball Tracking projected the googly to hit the leg stump! England lose a review and Banton for 2 (5) and from 43/1, England are now 57/3! 57/3

18.2 OUT! CAUGHT! Nepal might have been erratic with their bowling but in terms of communication, their skills have been excellent on the field. Slower ball, on a length, outside off, Brook tries to heave it through the off side, ummm... almost like his dismissal to Mitchell Starc in the 2023 Ashes but on this occasion, his head was more still. Gets a leading edge which goes towards cover. Sweeper comes running in, with the sun into his eyes while cover runs back. They are on the path of collision but Sher Malla from sweeper calls for it and the debutant takes the catch pretty nicely, with the setting sun into his eyes. End of a fine knock of 53 (32) from Harry Brook and from 128/3, England are now 157/6! 157/6

15.3 OUT! BOWLED! Curran has dragged one on. He never looked settled at the crease and this might actually be a blessing in disguise for the Brits. Landed outside off, Sam Curran goes back to punch it through the off side but yet another one stops on the pitch a touch. The shot is played early. As a result, the bottom edge is induced and the stumps are shattered. Curran comes and goes for 2 (8) and from 128/3, England are now 137/5! 27 balls left in the innings. 137/5

19.5 OUT! JOFRA ARCHER IS RUN OUT. Sacrificial lamb. Which makes the previous single even more dumbfounding. On a length, outside off, Archer swings for the ocean but misses. The keeper collects and the batters go for the bye. The keeper lobs the ball to the bowler who runs back and calmly takes the bails off with Archer nowhere in the frame. Archer departs for 1 (3) and England are 178/7 after 19.5 overs. 178/7

5.2 OUT! CAUGHT AND BOWLED! That's a soft dismissal. After a fine start, Nepal lose two in a hurry. Will Jacks bowls a slower one, short and on off. Kushal Bhurtel goes deep in his crease and looks to work it away but the ball hits the leading part of his bat. It lobs back to the right of Will Jacks, who takes a simple catch. Nepal are 42/2, needing 143 runs in 88 balls. 42/2

3.5 OUT! CAUGHT! Liam Dawson is fired up. Fuller around leg, Aasif Sheikh once again goes for the sweep but only manages the top edge. The ball lobs gently to the right of Luke Wood at short fine leg, who shuffles across and pouches a dolly. Nepal lose their first wicket at 37, will this breakthrough finally put the brakes on the run flow? 37/1

15.3 OUT! CAUGHT! A superb catch in the deep, and England are starting to regain control of this game. Liam Dawson floats it up, full and on middle, turns away a bit. Rohit Paudel goes down for the slog sweep but hits it from the bottom half of his bat. It flies flat towards deep mid-wicket, where Phil Salt runs to his right, dives and takes a fantastic catch just inches above the ground. There is a check for the catch, but the replay shows that Salt has his fingers underneath the ball. Paudel walks back for 39 off 34, and Nepal are four down now. In the space of eight balls, both set Nepal batters are gone and England have suddenly climbed on top. Momentum flipped, and now it is 59 needed off 27. 126/4

14.2 OUT! TAKEN! Sam Curran gets the wicket England were desperate for, and the Drinks break bears fruit for them. This is a slower one, full and outside off. Dipendra Singh Airee looks to take it on and go big down the ground, but ends up slicing it as his bat turns in his hands. It flies towards deep extra cover, where Tom Banton takes a good catch under pressure. The stand worth 82 (54) has been broken and England will take a sigh of relief. 124/3

17.2 OUT! EDGED AND GONE! Jofra Archer goes fuller this time, outside off, pace off again. Aarif Sheikh has to reach out for it, and throws the kitchen sink at it. He only manages to get a thick outside edge behind, where Jos Buttler moves to his right and takes a sharp catch. Nepal are 146/5, still needing 39 runs in 16 balls. 146/5

19 OUT! CASTLED! Luke Wood finishes the over well here. He goes full and straight, attacking the stumps. Gulshan Jha stays deep inside the crease and has a swing across the line but misses due to the extra pace. The ball goes through to shatter the stumps. Nepal are 175/6, but the good thing for them is Lokesh Bam will be on strike for the final over. 175/6