At every World Cup, the spotlight naturally swings toward the heavyweights — the squads stacked with superstars, the title favourites, the big rivalries. But renowned Cricket Commentator Harsha Bhogle believes the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka has a different kind of storyline building underneath the noise — and he says Nepal are the associate side he’s watching most closely.
Bhogle points to a familiar pattern in global tournaments: one emerging team always produces the "come look at us" moment. He recalls the USA’s breakout at the 2024 T20 World Cup, and mentions how sides like Ireland, Scotland and the Netherlands have periodically delivered performances that force the cricket world to sit up. This time, though, he says the buzz is strongest around Nepal — a team he feels has quietly built credibility through results and attitude.
A key part of that belief, Bhogle argues, is Nepal's progress in away conditions — an area that often separates a promising team from a truly rising one. He highlights Nepal's recent ability to win outside home comfort, calling it an indicator of how far the team’s "evolution" has come. Alongside results, he also singles out Nepal's supporter culture — describing the country's cricket fans as a major force, the kind visitors talk about after witnessing the atmosphere firsthand.
On the field, Bhogle's focus narrows to a core Nepal batting spine — Rohit Paudel, Aarif Sheikh and Dipendra Singh Airee — and he also flags the need for impact around them, referencing opener Kushal Bhurtel and finisher-type power down the order, including Gulshan Jha. In the bowling group, he believes Nepal get a lift from the presence and consistency of Sandeep Lamichhane, while noting the importance of support around the new-ball options to handle the back-end overs against stronger batting line-ups.
But Bhogle also delivers a clear warning: the biggest challenge for Nepal at this World Cup may be the shift from 150–160 contests to 200-run environments. He frames a key matchup as the ultimate stress test — whether Nepal can execute their skills when conditions lean toward big-hitting teams' strengths rather than Nepal’s traditional comfort zone.
Bhogle's message lands as both praise and pressure: the world is noticing — and a couple of strong results on the biggest stage could accelerate Nepal’s rise in a way few things can.
Watch Harsha Bhogle on the Associate Nations at T20 WC
