Kushal Bhurtel

International career

Kushal Bhurtel, born on January 22, 1997, is a cricketer from Nepal. He played his first T20I match against the Netherlands on April 17, 2021. Later, on September 7, 2021, he made his debut in ODI cricket against Papua New Guinea. Bhurtel has quickly become an important part of Nepal's cricket team and continues to grow in his career.

• 2016:
  • Bhurtel joined Nepal’s squad for the 2016 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.
• 2019:
  • November: Bhurtel was named in Nepal’s squad for the 2019 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Bangladesh.
  • November 14: He played his first List A match for Nepal against India in the Emerging Teams Cup.
  • December: Bhurtel played in the men’s cricket tournament at the 2019 South Asian Games. Nepal won a bronze medal, beating the Maldives by five wickets in the third-place match.
• 2020-2021:
  • Bhurtel was part of Nepal’s T20I squad for the 2020–21 Nepal Tri-Nation Series.
  • When former captain Paras Khadka got injured, Bhurtel took the opening spot in the batting order. This helped him become a key player for Nepal.
• 2021:
  • April 17: Bhurtel played his first T20I for Nepal against the Netherlands in Kirtipur. He scored 62 runs, and Nepal won by nine wickets.
  • Bhurtel won the man of the series award after scoring 278 runs in five matches with an average of 69.50.
  • May: Bhurtel was nominated for the ICC Men's Player of the Month award after his performance in the Tri-Nation Series.
  • August: Bhurtel joined Nepal’s ODI squad for their series against Papua New Guinea in Oman.
  • September 7: He played his first ODI match for Nepal against Papua New Guinea.
• 2022:
  • February: Bhurtel was named in Nepal’s T20I squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier A in Oman.
  • He scored his first T20I century in a match against the Philippines during this tournament.
• 2023:
  • Bhurtel scored 99 runs in Nepal's opening match at the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers against Zimbabwe.
  • He missed his second ODI century when he was dismissed by Wellington Masakadza in the 32nd over.
• 2024:
  • Bhurtel scored four runs in Nepal’s match against South Africa at the ICC T20 World Cup.
  • November 4: Bhurtel played his last ODI match for Nepal against Scotland in Dallas.

Leagues Participation

Kushal Bhurtel did not participate in any major cricket leagues during his career.

Domestic career

Kushal Bhurtel quickly gained attention for his strong performances in domestic cricket. His aggressive style and ability to adjust to different formats helped him earn a spot in Nepal’s domestic T20 leagues. Bhurtel played for teams like Kathmandu Kings XI and Nepal, where he showed his skills as an opening batsman, known for hitting boundaries and scoring quickly.

He debuted in List A cricket on November 14, 2019, for Nepal ET against India in the Emerging Teams Cup. Bhurtel continued to impress in domestic cricket, and in December 2023, he joined the Frankston Peninsula Cricket Club to compete in the Victorian Cricket Championship in Melbourne.

In the 2024 Prime Minister's Cup, Bhurtel helped Nepal Police Club defeat Lumbini Province by 103 runs, taking 3 wickets in the match.

Records and achievements

Kushal Bhurtel has earned several records and achievements in his cricket career, gaining recognition in Nepal and abroad.

• 2019:
  • Won a bronze medal at the South Asian Games with the Nepalese national team.
• 2021:
  • Nominated for the ICC Men's Player of the Month in May after a great performance in the tri-series.
  • Set the record for best bowling analysis in a T20 match with 1-0 against Mongolia.
• ODI Records:
  • Second-most catches in an innings in an ODI: 4 catches.
  • Second-most catches in a series in an ODI: 19 catches.
  • Joined the 99 dismissal club after being dismissed for the 99th time in an ODI against Zimbabwe.

Personal life

Kushal Bhurtel is a popular cricketer who has gained support from his family and a growing number of fans. His father, in particular, has been a big part of his journey.

Finance

Kushal Bhurtel’s net worth for 2024 is around US $2.5 million.

Family

Kushal is the only son of Deepak Bhurtel and Durga Bhurtel. He has two sisters, Anjana Bhurtel (older) and Khusi Bhurtel (younger). As a child, he played football, but he switched to cricket because of his father's love for the sport. In interviews, he often mentions how much his family, especially his father, helped him pursue his dreams. During his Grade 11 exams, he was called to play in the Nepal Premier League (NPL). His father told him to skip the exams and follow his cricket dream.

Fans

As of October 2024, Kushal has a strong presence on social media:

• Instagram: 95.8k followers (@kushal_bhurtel14)
• Facebook: 75k followers

He shares updates about his cricket career and family life with his fans on these platforms.