Nepal run into dominant WI in search for first points

West Indies and Nepal meet in Group C with their campaigns moving in very different directions. Two convincing wins over Scotland and England have put West Indies comfortably on top of the table, and within touching distance of a Super 8s berth. Nepal, meanwhile, are still searching for their first points after narrowly missing out against England, followed by a heavy defeat to newcomers Italy, leaving this game increasingly important for their survival.

West Indies have looked well-rounded so far. They defended 182 against Scotland with control and followed it up with a strong all-round display against England, underlining both their batting depth and the effectiveness of their spin through the middle overs. The power game has been backed by composure, with different players stepping up at different stages, giving them the balance that has separated them from the rest of the group.

Nepal's campaign has followed a more uneven arc. They pushed England close in their opener, showing intent and belief in a chase that fell short by just four runs. But they were unable to build on that effort as Italy handed them a 10-wicket drubbing. The batting has shown flashes of enterprise, yet partnerships have not lasted long enough, while the bowling has struggled to sustain pressure. Against a confident West Indies side, Nepal will need a far more complete performance to stay in contention.

When: Match 25, Sunday, February 15 at 11:00 AM Local Time

Where: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

What to expect: Four matches have been played at the Wankhede stadium in this World Cup and yet a 200-plus total has remained elusive, which goes against the usual high-scoring reputation of the venue. West Indies' 196 is the highest total at this ground, while Nepal came within four runs of England's 184. Even India didn't find it easy against the USA, finishing with 161, which they then defended comfortably. Spinners have found some assistance, and this being the first 11 AM start at this ground, pacers could also come into play early.

Team news:

West Indies: Shai Hope mentioned it was a tactical change when Roston Chase replaced Matthew Forde, to counter the left-handers in the England team. He scored 34 and picked up the wickets of Jos Buttler and Will Jacks, for fine returns of 2 for 29. The all-rounder is likely to retain his place, even though Nepal don't have too many left-handers in their batting order.

Probable XI: Brandon King, Shai Hope (c & wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell, Sherfane Rutherford, Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph

Nepal: Lalit Rajbanshi came in for Sher Malla but bowled only one over for 19 runs. The experienced Sompal Kami hasn't played yet and Nepal might consider bringing him in for this crucial encounter.

Probable XI: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Rohit Paudel (c), Dipendra Singh Airee, Aarif Sheikh, Lokesh Bam, Gulsan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Sandeep Lamichhane

What they said:

"It's a World Cup. Any team in this tournament can beat any other one on a day. So we've got to ensure we're still executing the way we need to. The planning must be there once again, not taking anyone lightly. We understand the importance of every single game, even though we gave ourselves a nice position to be in, but still we've got to ensure we plan it the same way, we execute it the same way against Nepal" - Shai Hope, West Indies captain.

"I thought as a team we are growing and to see the England highs and then suddenly not turning up in today's game, I thought that was a little disappointing. A team growing like a team like us, we need to be more consistent and today was the day to prove that" - Rohit Paudel, Nepal captain, after the defeat to Italy.