Competition in Group C ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026The west indies face against Nepal At the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The 25th match of the tournament is crucial for both sides: a win for West Indies virtually guarantees them a place in the Super 8s, while for Nepal, it is a desperate battle for survival after a crushing defeat to Italy.
Mumbai’s humidity is thick on the pitch and morning humidity is expected to move quickly, says West Indies captain shy hope Won the toss and decided to bowl. However, the biggest talking point of the morning was not just the toss, but the absence of the key player who has been a match-winner for the Caribbean team throughout this campaign.
This is why Romario Shepherd is missing today’s action
The fans were surprised to see this Romario Shepherd‘s name is missing from the team sheet today. Shepherd has been in tremendous form, even scoring a sensational hat-trick at the start of the tournament scotland. During the toss, Hope clarified that the all-rounder has been ruled out with a slight injury.
“Shepherd is struggling a bit. We just want to make sure the precautionary measures are being taken. It’s important for us to make sure we cover all our bases and hit all our straps as we look towards the latter stages of the tournament.” Hope explained during the toss.
Given the tough schedule of the 2026 T20 World Cup, the West Indies management has opted for a safety first approach. Resting Shepherd today has given him time to fully recover for the Super 8 fixtures, ensuring that their primary death over specialist and lower-order power-hitter will not be put at risk against the struggling Nepal side. In his absence, the young and versatile Matthew Forde Has been included in the eleven, which will give Hope similar pace options and easier batting lower down the order.
WI vs NEP: Playing XI of both the teams
Nepal: Kushal Bhurtel, Asif Sheikh (wicketkeeper), Rohit Paudel (captain), Deependra Singh Airey, Arif Sheikh, Lokesh Bam, Gulsan Jha, Sompal Kami, Karan Casey, Nandan Yadav, Sandeep Lamichhane.
West Indies: Brandon King, Shai Hope (wk/c), Shimron Hetmyer, Roston Chase, Sherfane Rutherford, Rovman Powell, Jason Holder, Matthew Ford, Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Moti, Shamar Joseph
