If viewed purely through the prism of qualification, Tuesday (February 17, 2026) night’s T20 World Cup Group C clash between Nepal and Scotland at the Wankhede Stadium is inconsequential. Neither side remains in contention for a Super Eight berth.

But zoom out, and the fixture carries significance beyond the points table. For Scotland – drafted in as Bangladesh’s replacement — a victory would validate its presence as more than a last-minute stand-in. It would underline that it belongs on this stage.

For Nepal, the stakes feel even higher. Rohit Paudel’s men, based in Mumbai throughout the tournament, have emerged as one of the competition’s most compelling stories. Backed by passionate support and having come agonisingly close to upsetting England in its opener, Nepal is yet to open its account. A win would ensure the red-and-blue army signs off on a high.

Beyond individual motivations lies a shared objective. Both teams are keen to remind cricket’s power-brokers of the need for greater engagement between Associate and Test-playing sides. More exposure, they argue, is essential for sustained growth.

Tom Bruce, the Scotland batter who has previously represented New Zealand, echoed that sentiment. “We would love to see more cricket, Associate nations against tier one nations. There has been a lot of talk around the cricket calendar, and what that needs to look like in order to accommodate international cricket, World Cups, franchise cricket, the Olympics, and trying to get more nations playing cricket,” Bruce said on Monday.

“You want to see more nations playing cricket, and you want to see them playing against the best nations. So obviously, that decision and how they go about that is far above my pay grade.”

Meaningless on paper, perhaps — but meaningful in message.