Paras Khadka

Paras Khadka is known as one of the best players Nepal has ever produced and is current captain of the national side. He has also played at the Under-15 and Under-17 levels. A middle-order batsman who also bowls medium pace, he represented Nepal in the Under-19 World Cups of 2004, 2006 and 2008 while also being a part of the senior side. In the Plate semi-final against South Africa in 2006, Khadka was responsible for taking his side through to the finals. He was also the highest wicket-taker for Nepal in that tournament.

In the following year in 2007, Khadka was the Man of the Series in the Under-19 ACC Trophy, hence making sure Nepal qualified for the World Cup. In the main tournament, he picked up 12 wickets leading Nepal to yet another Plate final. Groomed for captaincy from a very young age, Khadka took over the duties of the senior squad in 2009. Under his captaincy, Nepal won the 2010 ICC World Cricket League Division Five in Nepal, 2012 ICC World Cricket League Division Four in Malaysia and 2013 ICC World Cricket League Division Three in Bermuda, thereby qualifying for the 2014 Cricket World Cup Qualifier in New Zealand.

Khadaka also successfully led his team to their first World T20 appearance in March 2014. He scored 83 runs in the 3 games that he played and picked up one wicket.

In domestic cricket, he currently leads the departmental side Armed Police Force (APF) and the team has flourished under his captaincy.

Interesting fact: Khadka is the 7th player in T20I history to take wicket on the first ball of career. He set this record against Hong Kong when he bowled out Irfan Ahmed on the very first ball of the innings.

By Sonali Dhulap

As of May 2014