Why Ben Duckett is Not Playing Today in ENG vs NEP T20 World Cup 2026?

In the fifth match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026, England are taking on Nepal in the Group C clash at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. England skipper Harry Brook chose to bat first on winning the toss. They are looking to put up on a competitive total on a pitch that has a little assistance for the bowlers as well.

England had announced their playing 11 for this match in advance. Top order batter Ben Duckett has been dropped from their tournament opener, a move which came in as a surprise. The left-hander has been a crucial part of the Three Lions across all formats but did not play the ENG vs NEP T20 World Cup 2026 match.

Why Ben Duckett is Not Playing Today Match?

England's star opener Ben Duckett has been left out of the first game against Nepal and Harry Brook has not provided any reason behind this decision. Duckett last played against Sri Lanka in the T20I series that ended before the start of the World Cup 2026.

In this match, Ben Duckett replacement is Phil Salt, who opened the batting alongside Jos Buttler. Duckett played his last match in the 3-match series against Sri Lanka where he was dismissed for a duck. Salt, being the more experienced batter in this format, has been preferred over Duckett. He is one of the most dangerous batsmen in the world and is in red-hot form currently.

Ben Duckett has established himself as one of the best openers in the world by performing well across formats. He is an aggressive top order batter who has scored runs quite consistently in the last few years. He can get a chance in the upcoming games in case there is any injury concern in the playing 11.

Harry Brook Leads England in T20 World Cup 2026

It will be a big test for Harry Brook, who will lead England in such a big event for the first time. He replaced Jos Buttler at the role, who led the team in the previous edition of the T20 World Cup.

England have some of the world-class T20 batsmen in their line-up. This tournament holds an importance for Jacob Bethell, who might have been preferred over Duckett. The bowling line-up looks impressive with Jofra Archer leading the attack. The presence of the experienced Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson makes them one of the favorites for the tournament.

England Playing 11 Against Nepal

Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Liam Dawson, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Luke Wood