Subash Khakurel, former wicketkeeper-batter for Nepal, officially announced his retirement on December 5. He represented Nepal for over a decade, with his last match played two years ago. At his peak, from 2011 to 2014, he was arguably Nepal’s best-ever wicketkeeper batter. From the U-19 level to the senior team, Subas consistently delivered crucial runs. Unfortunately, he missed the 2014 ODI World Cup Qualifier due to dengue, a setback that coincided with Nepal’s disappointing performance in the tournament. It’s fair to say Nepal missed his presence during that campaign. I had the chance to chat with him this week.
Q: Let’s talk about the second ODI between Nepal and the Netherlands. You scored 19 runs and effected a stumping that helped Nepal take back-to-back wickets. How was your experience of playing that match? Nepal won by just 1 run.
Subash Khakurel : The experience was great. It was an honor to be part of Nepal’s first-ever ODI series. Making my debut in the second ODI was a special feeling. We started playing cricket with the dream of playing T20Is, ODIs, and Tests someday. Finally, that dream came true. I opened the innings in that match and got out for 19. I was batting well, but one bad shot on a good delivery cost me my wicket.
Talking about the stumping, it was Bas de Leede’s dismissal. He has a habit of stepping out to spinners, so I suggested to Sandeep to bowl a googly when he came to bat. As expected, he tried to run down the wicket, missed the ball, and was stumped. That over was crucial as the Netherlands lost back-to-back wickets.
Q: What do you think about how Pubudu Dassanayake changed cricket in Nepal?
Subash Khakurel : Nepalese cricket transformed during Pubudu Sir’s tenure. He introduced structured preparation and planning, which was something we lacked before. Earlier, we played matches based on what we knew—sometimes we won, another occasion we lost. We trained for just three hours a day, which wasn’t enough.
Pubudu Sir changed that mindset. He emphasized the need to train like professionals, spending full days on the ground, from 9 to 5, to prepare for one-dayers. He introduced strength training, gym sessions, and brought in a physio. Our fitness and skills improved drastically.
We also started analyzing opponents’ games and preparing accordingly, something we never did before. Pubudu Sir worked relentlessly on our skills and fitness, which laid the foundation for our success during his tenure.
Q: How difficult was it to miss the 2014 ODI WC qualifier due to dengue, especially when you were in form?
Subash Khakurel : Missing the 2014 ODI WC qualifier due to illness was a setback for me and for Nepal. We had just qualified for the T20 World Cup, so there was motivation and confidence that we could perform well in the 50-over qualifier and gain ODI status. Unfortunately, several players were injured, and I was also sick. The team’s balance was disrupted, and we didn’t perform well.
That event was a missed opportunity for me as I was in good form. I had performed well in the World Cup qualifiers and preparation matches in Sri Lanka, where I scored two fifties. Missing such a crucial event was frustrating.
Q: Was it frustrating to wait for opportunities in your early days?
Subash Khakurel : Yes, it was frustrating. From 2007 to 2010, I was often part of the camp but got dropped despite performing well. Even making it to the U-19 squad was challenging. There were instances where I performed in domestic matches and camps but didn’t make the final squad.
At times, I thought of quitting cricket. Like everyone else, I faced moments of frustration. But my friends in cricket motivated me to keep going. I trained six days a week at Baluwatar Cricket Club, working on my skills and fitness. That hard work eventually paid off, and I made it to the U-19 and U-21 teams, and later, the senior team.
Q: Share your experience of playing against the MCC when you opened with Dipendra Chaudhari. You scored only six runs but took a catch, and Nepal won by 103 runs. In the second match, you opened with Paresh Lohani, scoring 22 runs, but Nepal lost by eight runs (D/L method). Talk about both matches briefly.
Subash Khakurel : I don’t have vivid memories of these matches, but I do recall some moments. During the first match, I scored just six runs but performed well as a wicketkeeper. That was a significant opportunity for me.
I wasn’t in a camp because I couldn’t play national games. There were a lot of rules. I didn’t know those rules. There was a selection match in Lalitpur district. Because I played selection matches, I was restricted from playing district selection matches. As a result, I couldn’t play national games. Later I don’t know how I was called to play a match against MCC. I made only 6 runs in the first match. I scored flick four. I couldn’t do well with the bat. But I performed my best in keeping.
In the second match, I opened with Paresh Dai and scored 22 or 23 runs[21]. Nepal’s wickets back then weren’t easy to bat on, so taking time at the crease was important. The way I tackled English bowlers Roy Dias Sir was impressed with my performance and included me in the camp. That series was a turning point in my career.
Q: What’s your best knock in a Nepal jersey?
Subash Khakurel : If we go back to history, we will know how we won three matches after losing the first two matches in Bermuda. Most people may not remember this, but my knock during the Bermuda tournament stands out. After losing the first two matches, we were demoralized. Pubudu Sir gave us hope, saying the tournament wasn’t over and that we could still qualify for Division Two. I scored 47 off 35 chasing 128 against Italy. We needed to chase runs quickly to improve our net run rate. That is one of my best knocks.
Another important knock is against Afghanistan in the World Cup. We started well and lost 2-3 wickets in the middle. I anchored from one end and attacked later because of that Nepal posted a respectable score and defended later. I retired recently and a lot of fans texted me saying I will forever remember your knock in the World Cup. If I rank, it will be among my top five best knocks.
Q: You have played some impressive knock. From 54 against Afghanistan in the U-19 WC qualifier to fifty against England at the U-19 WC and fifty against Afghanistan in the T20 WC. 54 against Kenya in a 180+ run chase Does your best come against a tough match?
Subash Khakurel : I have different body language while playing against a strong team. Initially playing cricket, I didn’t get a chance in my club. District games are far dream for me. I came through struggling that way. My mentality was to score against good teams and people would notice and I go higher level. That’s how I developed my habit. From 2007 to 2017 until I didn’t break my hand, I feel whenever I played against a tough opponent, I feel I made good scores. I scored 54 against Afghanistan in difficult conditions.
When we were training in Nepal, we tried to chase 180-190 but we couldn’t chase in any time. We were chasing over 180 runs in one match, something we had never done before. The dressing room atmosphere was tense. Pubudu Sir encouraged us, saying the target was 10–15 runs short. I built a partnership with Gyanendra Malla, and our plan to score 70–80 runs in the first 10 overs worked. Unluckily I was run out. Maybe it was good for the team because I was tired. Paras Khadka and Sharad Vesawkar finished the game, with Sharad hitting three sixes in the last over.
Looking back, I feel proud of my contributions. It was overcast condition. Then I scored a fifty against England when we lost 3-4 wickets from the other end. Even against PNG, I played a similar knock when we lost three quick wickets from the other end. Whenever a situation is tough, I try to make myself tough. If you want to take Nepal cricket higher and make your name, it’s necessary to perform against tough opponents. I tried to do that and I had success on many occasions.
Q: Do you think you could have played more if not for injuries? Any regrets?
Subash Khakurel: I believe I could have played longer if not for injuries. Even if it wasn’t for the national team, I could have contributed to domestic cricket. A hand fracture kept me out for over a year, and I missed several important events during that time, including Nepal gaining ODI status. I would have still contributed to Nepal in different capacities to be in a coach, umpire, or some role. Unfortunately for some reason, I couldn’t do that. Because of 2-3 back-to-back injuries, my career was almost over and it was eventually over.
When I returned, I didn’t feel backed enough. After playing for 7–8 years, I thought I deserved more opportunities to regain confidence. I don’t want to complain to anyone maybe I couldn’t perform in the 3-4 matches I got. I feel sad in that part. Perhaps if I had gotten another tournament or two, things could have been different.
However, I have no complaints or regrets. Thousands of people play cricket in Nepal, and to be selected in the top 11, that is a big thing for me. I’m proud of my journey and my contributions to Nepal cricket.
