Former Nepal captain Gyanendra Malla announces retirement from international cricket
Aug 04, 2023
Kathmandu [Nepal], August 4 : Former Nepali national cricket team captain Gyanendra Malla announced his retirement from national as well as international cricket on Friday.
“I might have replaced someone during my cricket career now it’s my time to be replaced. I am retiring from cricket from today and embarking on a new journey,” the former national team captain announced in a press meet as his eyes were filled with tears.
Malla amassed 876 runs in ODIs, including seven half-centuries. His greatest score in the format is 75, which he scored against Namibia in 2022. In T20Is, he scored one century and two fifties while amassing 883 runs at a strike rate of 120.29. His 107 against Bhutan in 2019 is Nepal's second-highest individual score in T20Is. Malla made his international debut in 2014 and has since played 37 ODIs and 45 T20Is.
One of the members who represented Nepal during the golden era of Nepali cricket, Malla made his debut with entry into the U-15 cricket team in 2005. In the same year, Gyanendra represented Nepal in U-17 and U-19.
Making his debut in the senior team in 2006 he was last seen on the pitch during ICC World Cup Qualifiers this year as the Rhinos faced Ireland in Zimbabwe. In 2006, Malla first played in Nepal’s jersey against Namibia in Intercontinental Cup.
Before stepping into the role of team captain, Gyanendra Malla remained the vice-captain for a decade from 2009 when Paras Khadka was made the team captain. The subsequent resignation of Khadka from the post in 2019 opened the way for Malla to step up as the captain of the national team.
Malla was removed from the post of captain after he became vocal against the authorities who didn’t provide the agreed facilities. Soon after the disciplinary action, Malla only played two games- T-20 World Cup selected held in Oman and League-II in UAE. After two games, Malla remained off the pitch.
In his cricket career expanding 18 years Gyanendra Malla has played 37 one-day international and 45 T-20 matches for Nepal. In 77 List A cricket, he made a total of One thousand eight hundred and two runs.
