Kushal Bhurtel: Nepal Opening Batter Profile and Records

Kushal Bhurtel is one of Nepal's most exciting opening batters, a fearless top-of-the-order player who announced himself with a record-breaking start to his international career. A right-handed opener who also bowls leg break, Kushal Bhurtel has scored landmark runs for Nepal and joined an elite group of batters to hit six sixes in a single over. This profile is a neutral, fact-checked look at his on-field career and the verifiable achievements that have made him a key figure in the national team's rise.

Cricket has grown into one of Nepal's most-followed pursuits, sitting alongside the mountains, festivals and culture that the country is famous for abroad. If you are getting to know Nepal before a trip, a player like Bhurtel offers an easy way into the conversations you will hear in tea shops and on long journeys. Our guides to Nepali culture and the Nepal flag pair naturally with this piece.

Key takeaways

• Kushal Bhurtel was born on 22 January 1997 in Butwal, Rupandehi, in southern Nepal.
• He is a right-handed opening batter who also bowls right-arm leg break and fields well.
• He became the first player in T20 international history to score fifties in each of his first three matches.
• He made his ODI debut on 7 September 2021 against Papua New Guinea.
• He scored his maiden ODI century, 115, against Namibia on 14 February 2023.
• On 1 June 2026 he hit six sixes in one over against China, the second Nepali to do so in a T20I.

Who is Kushal Bhurtel?

Kushal Bhurtel is a Nepali cricketer, born on 22 January 1997 in Butwal, in the Rupandehi district of southern Nepal. He is a right-handed batter who opens the innings, and he bowls right-arm leg break, giving him a secondary string as a bowler. Quick to attack and a sharp fielder, he is one of the players who emerged as Nepal entered a new era and pushed toward the world stage.

As an opener, Bhurtel's job is to give Nepal a fast, positive start, and his natural game suits that role well. He plays his shots early and is willing to take on the bowling, the kind of approach that can put an opposition on the back foot inside the first few overs. That fearless style has produced some of his most memorable innings.

A record-breaking arrival

Few cricketers have introduced themselves as emphatically as Bhurtel did. He made his Twenty20 international debut on 17 April 2021 against the Netherlands, during a tri-nation series in Nepal, and immediately made an impact. He scored a half-century in each of his first three T20I matches, becoming the first player in the format's history to begin a career with three consecutive fifties.

That burst of form earned him the player-of-the-series award and instant recognition as one of Nepal's brightest new talents. To begin an international career in such record-setting fashion is rare anywhere, and it set high expectations that he has continued to chase ever since.

Into the one-day side

Bhurtel carried that momentum into one-day cricket, making his ODI debut on 7 September 2021 against Papua New Guinea. The step up to the 50-over game gave him more time to build innings, and he quickly became a regular at the top of Nepal's order across both white-ball formats.

His maiden ODI century

Bhurtel's standout one-day innings came on 14 February 2023, when he scored 115 against Namibia in an ICC Cricket World Cup League 2 match. It was his maiden ODI century and one of the most significant individual innings in Nepal's recent history, anchoring a successful run chase. Reaching three figures at international level is a milestone every batter prizes, and for Bhurtel it confirmed his ability to convert his attacking starts into match-defining scores.

The innings also placed him among a small group of Nepali batters to have scored an ODI hundred, a reflection of how the country's batting depth has grown. It remains one of the defining performances of his career.

Six sixes in an over

One of the most spectacular moments of Bhurtel's career came on 1 June 2026, when he hit six sixes in a single over against China at the Singapore National Cricket Ground, during an Asian Games qualifier. He struck all six deliveries of the over for maximums as part of a huge personal score, joining one of cricket's most exclusive clubs.

Hitting six sixes in an over is one of the rarest feats in the game. In doing so, Bhurtel became the second Nepali batter to achieve it in a men's T20I, following team-mate Dipendra Singh Airee, who managed the feat against Qatar in 2024. That two Nepali players have now joined the likes of Yuvraj Singh and Kieron Pollard speaks volumes about the power hitting in the current side.

On-field achievements and records

Bhurtel's career features several notable landmarks across Nepal's recent rise. The table below summarises the headline achievements that are widely documented.

| Date | Achievement | | --- | --- | | April 2021 | First player to score fifties in his first three T20Is; player of the series | | 7 September 2021 | ODI debut vs Papua New Guinea | | 14 February 2023 | Maiden ODI century (115 vs Namibia) | | 2023 | Featured in the ODI World Cup Qualifier | | 1 June 2026 | Six sixes in an over vs China |

Beyond these moments, Bhurtel has been a steady presence in Nepal's batting line-up across major competitions. He was part of the side at the 2023 ODI World Cup Qualifier and featured in Nepal's squads for the 2024 and 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cups, gaining valuable experience against the world's strongest teams. His leg-break bowling has also given Nepal a useful extra option at times.

An opener for the big stage

What makes Bhurtel valuable is the platform he can provide. A flying start from an opener can shape a whole innings, and his willingness to attack from the first ball gives Nepal an aggressive edge at the top of the order. When he comes off, he can take a match away from the opposition very quickly.

Playing style and value to the team

Bhurtel is, at heart, an attacking opener who looks to score from the outset. His strength is clean ball-striking and the confidence to take the aerial route early, which is exactly what produced both his record-setting debut series and his six-sixes over. As a fielder he is regarded as sharp and athletic, and his right-arm leg break offers a handy change of pace when his captain needs it.

That all-round usefulness, top-order runs, occasional wickets and reliable fielding, makes him more than a one-dimensional batter. For Nepal, which has built its recent success on a tight group of dependable performers, Bhurtel's aggressive starts have been an important part of the mix.

Why Kushal Bhurtel matters in Nepal

Cricket commands a passionate following across Nepal, and standout performances are celebrated long after the final ball. Bhurtel's record-breaking debut and his six-sixes over are the kind of moments fans in Kathmandu and across the country love to relive. As one of the team's most exciting batters, he holds a special place in the country's growing cricket story.

For travellers, knowing his name is an easy way to connect with locals, who are often delighted when a visitor shows interest in their cricket. His story also fits into a wider surge in Nepali cricket that includes captain Rohit Paudel and all-rounder Dipendra Singh Airee, whose profiles complement this one. A few words of Nepali and a mention of a famous innings can go a long way toward a warm conversation.

A quick fact file

Here is a compact summary you can keep in mind while following Nepali cricket.

| Detail | Information | | --- | --- | | Full name | Kushal Bhurtel | | Born | 22 January 1997, Butwal, Rupandehi, Nepal | | Batting | Right-handed (opener) | | Bowling | Right-arm leg break | | Role | Opening batter | | ODI debut | 7 September 2021 vs Papua New Guinea | | Maiden ODI century | 115 vs Namibia, 14 February 2023 |

The bottom line

Kushal Bhurtel is the attacking opener who gave Nepali cricket one of its most memorable debuts and, years later, a place in one of the game's rarest record books. From three fifties in his first three T20Is to a maiden ODI century and six sixes in a single over, his on-field career is built on genuine, verifiable achievements. Whether you follow cricket closely or are simply curious about modern Nepal, his story is a lively window into a country whose sporting profile keeps rising. Pair this profile with our guides to Nepali culture and the Nepal flag for plenty more context.

Sources

• Kushal Bhurtel — Wikipedia
• Kushal Bhurtel Profile — ESPNcricinfo
• Kushal Bhurtel batting and bowling stats — ESPNcricinfo
• Nepal opener creates history by hitting six sixes in an over — ICC
• Who is Kushal Bhurtel? Nepal cricketer recreates Yuvraj Singh-like six-hitting feat vs China — WION