The noise from Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday night resonated with that of an Indian Premier League (IPL) fixture, with the crescendo matching the decibel levels of a Rohit Sharma six. Mike Atherton likened the atmosphere for the game to a World Cup final, and, mind you, he was not far off the mark.

Close to 20,000 Nepali fans virtually owned the stadium, generating such sustained volume that it felt as though the match - an inconsequential fixture in the broader context of the World Cup - was being played in Kathmandu, rather than in an otherwise disinterested, upscale, cosmopolitan SoBo area of Mumbai, where public noise beyond 10 pm is prohibited under a court order.

The parallel with a World Cup final would not be an exaggeration either. Just like Mumbai celebrated the 2011 Cricket World Cup Final triumph, Nepali fans - numbering a few hundred - gathered along the seaside at Marine Drive to celebrate their team's victory over Scotland. The revelry continued till late into Tuesday night.

It was Nepal's first World Cup win in 12 years and perhaps one of the greatest moments in the country's sporting history. Scores of the Nepali diaspora, spread across the United States and Europe, filled the stands of the stadium, alongside thousands who had travelled from the Himalayan kingdom, celebrating as if it were Dashain - the country's most popular and longest festival.

"I think Nepal has that kind of fan following, and especially in this tournament, after India, only Nepal's games were packed - completely packed - with a lot of fans coming to the ground to watch Nepal play. So, fan-wise, you will not see any other Associate country with such a following," Rohit Paudel, Nepal captain, said, almost dedicating the win to the fans.

"I think, given the smiles on their faces - especially the way we started against England - a lot of fans were in the ground. But after the England game (which they lost narrowly), even more people came to watch, and as a team, we disappointed them.

"We wanted to give them a win, to put a smile on their faces, because they have travelled a long way to come here and support us. So I think this win was very important to them, and hopefully from here we will build on it." The Nepal players took a lap of honour in acknowledgement of the support from the fans.

Nepal were on the cusp of a victory against England, and it was a travesty that they could not close it out when only 10 runs were needed off the last over. It was their game to lose - and they lost it - followed by a couple of meek surrenders against Italy and West Indies. But on Tuesday, they looked a different side, with Dipendra Singh Airee in particular appearing a transformed batter.

Airee, who holds the world record for the fastest half-century (off nine deliveries), stepped up under pressure and demonstrated why he is so highly rated back home. With 71 needed off the last six overs, he launched an assault on the Scotland bowlers - pacers and spinners alike - striking timely boundaries (four fours and three sixes) to score an unbeaten 50 that came off just 23 deliveries, at an extraordinary strike rate of 217.39.

"In this World Cup he has shown his abilities. We have to learn from him. The way he adapted the situation, the condition. So a lot of players will learn from him," said Paudel, while his Scottish counterpart said Airee changed the momentum of the match.

"A lot of credit has to go to Dipendra, the way he played today. It was a fantastic knock. He changed the whole momentum of that innings and we've seen him do it a few times now. So, yeah, as I say, we have to give him a lot of credit for the way he played today," Richie Berrington said.

The momentum shift came between the 15th and 16th overs when Airee and his partner Gulshan Jha smashed three consecutive sixes, reducing the equation from 71 off 36 deliveries to 39 with four overs remaining. The asking rate came down from 12 to less than 10.

Even after that, their boundary-hitting spree continued unabated, and Nepal struck 11 sixes, overall, in their chase of 171. The win came off the second delivery of the 20th over, with the stadium erupting in a never-seen-before cacophony. Airee remained unbeaten on 50, with Gulshan Jha not out on 24.

"I think maybe it's one of the best innings for (me), especially while chasing, the 23-ball 50 is very good. This kind of chase always gives motivation to the group. And the last game against England has given us a few learning experiences," Airee, who had only two dot balls in his 23-ball knock, said.

At the conclusion of 33 matches, Airee remains second on the scoring charts with 169 runs from four games. The way he batted, the composure he maintained under pressure, and the range of shots he played make it unlikely that he will escape the attention of the IPL franchises. It should come, sooner rather than later.