The T20 World Cup 2026 has wasted little time in finding its edge. In the space of just 48 hours, Associate Members have already forced tournament's heavyweights into late-game scrambles, with the Netherlands pushing Pakistan right to the brink in the opener and Nepal taking England to a final-ball thriller that very well could've ended with a famous upset.
These tight finishes and spirited performances send a clear message, Associate Members are no longer here to just make up the numbers as the gap to Full Member nations seems narrower than ever, especially in the shortest format.
The performances also justify the ICC's decision to expand the T20 World Cup to a record 20 teams in this edition, a move that ensures Associate Nations gain more exposure against top opposition. The early results suggest that decision is already paying off on the field.
Nepal's Near-Upset Rocks England
On February 8, the Nepalese fans descended upon the Wankhede, painting the stadium red as their team went up against two-time champions England. The players reciprocated their energy right from the 2nd over as Sher Malla picked up a wicket with his very first delivery in T20I cricket, getting rid of Phil Salt.
The Nepal bowling attack allowed only four English batters to reach double-figures, however half-centuries by Jacob Bethell (55 off 35 balls) and Harry Brook (53 off 32 balls) helped England reach a respectable 184/7.
Chasing 185, Nepal came within touching distance of victory with just 10 needed off the final over courtesy some solid knocks up front by captain Rohit Paudel (39) and Dipendra Airee (44). Lokesh Bam (39* off 20 balls) who walked out at no. 6, launched a lethal late assault, even smashing Jofra Archer for two maximums in a single over. However, it was Sam Curran who held his nerve brilliantly in the final over to drag England across the finish line with just 4 runs to spare.
At the 2024 edition, Nepal came within touching distance of a major upset as they lost to South Africa by just 1 run and their result against England only shows that it's not too long before it finally happens for them.
Netherlands Push Pakistan Right to the Wire
The tournament opener meanwhile saw the Dutch side give Pakistan a mighty scare, with the Men in Green needing a herculean effort from Faheem Ashraf to bail them out. Riding on handy knocks from captain Scott Edwards (37) and Bas de Leede (30), the Netherlands posted a modest total of 147 in Colombo.x
Paul van Meekeren (2/20) then struck twice in the 12th over, sparking a spectacular middle-order collapse from Pakistan who went from 2/98 to 7/114 in the next five overs. With 29 needed off the final two overs, Ashraf (29* off 11 balls) went ballistic and managed to save his team the blushes.
Why T20 Favors the Underdogs
A 20-over match can pivot on a single standout performance. It could take just a couple of overs to turn the tide of a game as evidenced in the USA vs India game where Shadley van Schalkwyk's (4/25) triple-wicket over left India reeling before Suryakumar Yadav (84* off 49 balls) put in a captain's knock to rescue his team.
With margins stretched thin and Associate Nations gaining more exposure at the top level, the gap between teams looks set to narrow further with each passing tournament.
The ICC's decision to expand the tournament seems to be paying dividends as well, as Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan said on the eve of their tournament opener, "It's always good to have more teams in the World Cup, that's why lots of nations come in and you see lots of new talent, which you haven't seen and different teams come in, they give tough time to the oppositions and I think that's how the World Cup becomes bigger and bigger.”
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