By a Staff Reporter
Kathmandu – The former Nepal National Cricket Team Captain Gyanendra Malla has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket amidst a press conference on Friday.
The cricketer, who has represented Nepal in 37 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 45 Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is), decided to step away from the game with immediate effect.
Having donned the national colors since 2006, Gyanendra Malla leaves behind a commendable record. In his 37 ODIs, he amassed a total of 876 runs, including 7 half-centuries. Similarly, in T20Is, he accumulated 883 runs, boasting one century and two fifties for Nepal.
Gyanendra’s remarkable ODI career started with a bang, as he scored an impressive 51 runs in his debut ODI match against the Netherlands in 2018. This landmark achievement made him the first Nepali batsman to notch a half-century in ODIs.
Additionally, he holds the record for the fastest T20I half-century scored by a Nepali batsman, achieving the feat in just 20 balls against Malaysia in 2019. Before him, Binod Bhandari held the record, taking 25 balls to complete a half-century.
A standout moment in his career came during the 13th South Asian Games (SAG) in 2019, where Gyanendra played a memorable innings, scoring 107 runs against Bhutan. Despite his outstanding performances, Gyanendra’s appearances in the national team diminished recently, especially after Bhim Sarki showcased impressive form, reducing his opportunities. Following a string of disappointing performances, Gyanendra decided to retire from all forms of cricket.
Remarkably, his retirement comes exactly two years after former captain Paras Khadka retires from the sport on August 3rd, a poignant coincidence in Nepali cricket history. After Paras’ retirement, Gyanendra took over the captaincy of the Nepali cricket team from 2019 to 2021.
Under Gyanendra’s leadership, Nepal participated in 12 T20Is and 10 ODIs, achieving commendable results. In T20Is, Nepal secured victory in 9 out of 12 matches and experienced 3 losses. Similarly, in ODIs, Nepal won 6 matches and lost 4. Notably, Gyanendra demonstrated his prowess during the ACC Trophy Elite in 2012, where he smashed six consecutive boundaries in an over against Saudi Arabia.
Throughout his career, Gyanendra Malla played a crucial role in Nepal’s cricketing journey, contributing significantly to the team’s successes. He was a pivotal member of the squad during Nepal’s journey from Division Five to Division Three, their qualification for the T20 World Cup in 2014, and the historic moment when Nepal received ODI recognition in 2018.
Gyanendra Malla will be remembered as one of the finest technical batsmen to have graced Nepali cricket. His contributions extended to representing Nepal in the U19 World Cup in both 2006 and 2008, showcasing his talent and potential from an early age.
As the cricketing fraternity bids farewell to Gyanendra Malla, his legacy and impact on Nepali cricket will undoubtedly endure for years to come.
