Young England all-rounder Jacob Bethell was left embarrassed while attempting a no-look shot in their T20 World Cup 2026 game against Nepal at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday, February 8. The left-handed batter miscued the no-look shot as the ball went straight towards the fielder at long-on.
England got off to a poor start after being asked to bat in their first match in the ongoing tournament. Opener Phil Salt was dismissed for just 1 run off 2 balls, leaving England at 5/1. Wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler and Bethell rescued the team with a crucial 43-run partnership for the second wicket.
Jacob Bethell’s No-Look Shot Backfires, Ends in Embarrassing Dismissal
Jacob Bethell batted with an aggressive approach and raced to his half-century by hitting two sixes in a row. The left-handed batter reached the landmark off just 28 balls. He scored 55 runs from 35 deliveries, including four fours and four sixes, before being dismissed.
On the fourth ball of the 14th over of England’s innings, Bethell attempted a no-look lofted shot against Dipendra Singh Airee but failed to middle the ball. He mistimed the stroke, sending it high into the air without enough distance.
The ball sailed towards long-on, where Lokesh Bam moved in and completed a comfortable catch. Bethell realised his mistake immediately, dropped his head, and walked back, bringing an end to an entertaining innings.
— Drizzyat12Kennyat8 (@45kennyat7PM) February 8, 2026
Jacob Bethell Joins Elite England List With T20 World Cup Debut Fifty
Jacob Bethell became only the second England batter to score a half-century on his T20 World Cup debut. Before him, Kevin Pietersen had achieved the feat with a blistering 79 against Zimbabwe in Cape Town in 2007.
The innings also made Bethell the youngest England player to score a fifty in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. He reached the milestone at 22 years and 108 days against Nepal at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in 2026, moving ahead of Craig Kieswetter, Eoin Morgan, and Alex Hales.
Youngest England Batters to Score a Fifty in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup:
| Age | Player | Opponent | Venue | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22y 108d | Jacob Bethell | Nepal | Wankhede, Mumbai | 2026 |
| 22y 169d | Craig Kieswetter | Australia | Bridgetown | 2010 |
| 23y 235d | Eoin Morgan | West Indies | Providence | 2010 |
| 23y 268d | Alex Hales | West Indies | Pallekele | 2012 |
| 24y 42d | Ravi Bopara | West Indies | The Oval | 2009 |
Will Jacks’ Late Cameo Lifts England to 184/7
England finished their innings at 184 for 7 after a late cameo from Will Jacks, who scored an unbeaten 39 off 18 balls with one four and four sixes.
At 120 for 3 after 13 overs, England looked set for a much bigger total. However, Nepal slowed the scoring by conceding only 19 runs across three overs. England then added 45 runs in the final three overs. Nepal’s decision to bowl Karan KC in the last over proved costly, as England took 21 runs from it.
Nepal Playing XI: Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh(w), Rohit Paudel(c), Dipendra Singh Airee, Aarif Sheikh, Lokesh Bam, Gulsan Jha, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Sandeep Lamichhane, Sher Malla
England Playing XI: Philip Salt, Jos Buttler(w), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook(c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood
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