KATHMANDU, APRIL 28
Nepal's new batting sensation Kushal Bhurtel took a huge stride in World Twenty20 International Players Rankings released by the International Cricket Council on Wednesday.
Bhurtel, who entered the rankings at the 93rd position after his heroics in the Bajaj Pulsar Tri-Nation T20I Series that Nepal won last week, jumped 32 places to 61st place with 442 points. Bhurtel, who made T20I debut and created world record of three consecutive half centuries in his career's first three matches, is ahead of the top class batsmen in the world. He also combined with Aasif Khan to break the world record partnership by a debutante pair in T20Is.
Bangladesh's Shakib Al Hasan, Australian Steve Smith, Indian duo Suryakumar Yadav and Rishabh Pant, England's Joe Root, Sri Lankan Thisara Perera and New Zealand's Ross Taylor among others are behind Bhurtel, who was named the player of the series in the debut tournament.
Former skipper Paras Khadka (88) and captain Gyanendra Malla (94) are the other two Nepali batsmen in top 100.
England's Dawid Malan is at the top of the rankings with 892 points, while Australian Aaron Finch, Pakistani Babar Azam, New Zealand's Devon Conway and India skipper Virat Kohli are in top five.
Star Nepali legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane, who finished as the highest wicket-taker with 13 scalps in the Tri-Nation Series, remained unmoved at 77th position in bowlers' rankings, while the Nepal are at the 14th place in T20 and 17th in ODI standings respectively.
A version of this article appears in the print on April 29, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
