Mumbai, February 8 England captain Harry Brook expressed his surprise at the way Nepal's batsmen targeted their key spinner Adil Rashid during their T20 World Cup campaign opener here on Sunday.
Former champions England narrowly avoided defeat after setting Nepal a challenging target of 185.
"It wasn't easy at all, thankfully we managed to win. They played extremely well, and not many teams take Adil Rashid the way they did. I thought we were in a very good position to defend that. I wish them all the best for the rest of the tournament," Brook said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
England scored 184 for seven, thanks to aggressive fifties from Jacob Bethell and Brook, and Will Jacks' 39-run cameo in 18 balls.
"Bethell played outstandingly, the way he was attacking the spinners was great. I just said we needed to take a couple of wickets, and everything would change. We have so many options. I don't think Sam (Curran) bowled until much later.
"Rashid got a few wickets, and it's not often that he doesn't bowl four overs. I'm sure he'll bounce back. He knew exactly what he was going to bowl," Brook added.
Nepal captain Rohit Paudel said that they are not just participating in the tournament, but also aiming to cause an upset, as evidenced by their spirited performance against England.
"I think the boys gave it their all. I'm very proud of them. We came to this World Cup with confidence. We didn't just come here to participate. While the result didn't go our way, we gave 100% effort in every department. Sam Curran bowled really well in the last over. We will improve from there," Rohit said.
Regarding the chase, he added, "We were calculating. We wanted to take wickets in the last few overs, aiming for 10 runs per over. It wasn't a plan to target Adil Rashid, but it just happened. We will not take any team lightly.
"As a team, we need to be at our best. They are very passionate. The whole of Kathmandu and Nepal came here to support us. I think all of Nepal will be proud of us."
Man of the Match Jacks praised Nepal for their spirited performance, despite losing to England.
"Full credit to Nepal. They were absolutely brilliant. We saw that this was a tricky chase when we batted, but they played against us very well and brought us very close," Jacks said.
On his own batting performance, he said, "It's nice to spend some time in the middle. I've been struggling a bit recently, but the guys in the middle have helped me understand the conditions, so I just need to focus and play my natural game."
Asked about Nepal's decision to bowl pace in the last over, which went for 21 runs, Jacks said, "I saw they were debating. I think the bowler got a few wickets, and then ran off, so obviously in hindsight, they might have made that decision, but all in all, they were tactically very good.
"They obviously pushed us to the edge. I think if the pitches continue to behave like this, then it will be crucial going forward."
Adaptability to the pitches will be key in the upcoming matches, Jacks said.