England survives huge scare against Nepal as T20 World Cup game goes to last ball. NZ, Sri Lanka win

MUMBAI, India — England’s T20 World Cup defence began with a heart-stopping four-run victory over Nepal in Group C, the contest decided only when the final delivery failed to bring the boundary the Himalayan side required.

Chasing England’s total, Nepal were carried by Lokesh Bam’s fearless 39 not out from 20 balls, an innings that kept his team in the hunt until the last ball at a raucous Mumbai stadium. When the wicket-to-wicket final delivery yielded just a single, Nepal fell agonisingly short, allowing England to exhale and claim the points.

The narrow escape keeps England’s campaign on track on opening night, while elsewhere in the tournament New Zealand and Sri Lanka also secured victories to set an early pace in their respective pools.