Mumbai, Feb. 9 -- By the afternoon on Sunday, Marine Drive had turned red and blue. The coastal district in Mumbai teemed with thousands of Nepali fans, donning the Rhinos' red-and-blue jersey. These fans, most of whom had come in from hundreds of miles away, were eager to witness Nepal taking on England at the ICC Men's T20 World Cup. In just a couple of hours, the underdogs would mount a challenge to the two-time T20 World Cup champions at the famous Wankhede Stadium.

By 3pm, the stadium had come alive with the Nepali fans, packing the stands and waving the triangular Nepali flag. Soon it became clear that the crowd would be hugely one-sided. There were cheers when Nepal took wickets and a deafening silence when they conceded boundarie...