Kushal Bhurtel: From Ricky Ponting Fan to Nepal's Top-Order Heartbeat, Driven by a Dream to Face Australia

Kushal Bhurtel: A fan of Ricky Ponting, a bodybuilder, skilled at washing dishes, and the heartbeat of the top order. He dreams of playing against Australia one day and is confident this World Cup could make it happen.

Kushal Bhurtel remembers March 2014 with great affection.

This was the time when he watched Nepal play live on television for the first time in the T20 World Cup held in Bangladesh. Like the rest of the country, he watched with wide eyes the moment history was made and Nepal defeated Afghanistan.

Like many of his contemporaries, Bhurtel was an Australia supporter back then. 'I was a staunch fan of Australia,' he says, 'You won't believe it, but when Darren Sammy hit two consecutive sixes off James Faulkner to win the match, I cried. I was so hurt.'

Bhurtel laughs recalling his 17-year-old self. 'When Nepal defeated Afghanistan in that tournament, it became a 'turning point' for me. My interest grew, and I started dreaming—that one day we too will play against Australia.'

Twelve years later, when the schedule for the ongoing T20 World Cup 2026 was released, Bhurtel checked that first. 'I was disappointed when we (Nepal and Australia) were not placed in the same group,' he says, 'Hopefully, if we reach the Super 8s, who knows?'

But they won't be in the same group even in the Super 8s, but if Nepal reaches the semi-finals...

Bhurtel was a huge fan of Ricky Ponting. 'That's why my jersey number is 14,' he says. In his teenage years, he was interested not only in cricket but also in football and bodybuilding. But after the 2014 incident, he dedicated himself completely to cricket.

'Until 2011, I used to play football because it was less expensive,' he recalls, 'Dad was in South Korea building his career. But when he returned to Nepal for good in 2011-12, he encouraged me to play and work hard.'

Within two years of starting formal training, Bhurtel represented Nepal as a lower-order batter and medium-pace bowler in the 2016 U-19 World Cup. They reached the quarterfinals after defeating New Zealand and Ireland in the group stage.

Bhurtel's performance was average at that time, and he was struggling to reach the higher level. After his U-19 age limit expired, the path became even harder for him because the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) was suspended by the ICC, and tournaments were few.

But Bhurtel was lucky; he met like-minded friends who later became 'lifelong brothers.' Bhurtel, Dipendra Singh Airee, Rohit Paudel, Sandeep Jora, and Kamal Airee used to train together at the Tribhuvan University ground.

Except for Bhurtel, everyone else was younger and part of the U-19 team. As their acquaintance grew, these five individuals from different parts of Nepal decided to live and train together in Kathmandu in 2017.

'We rented a two-room flat for 7,000 rupees,' Bhurtel recalls, 'What days those were! We motivated each other. We never missed a training session. We ate together, learned from each other. We left at eight in the morning and returned at five in the evening.'

'After that, we cooked food and took turns washing the dishes. Those are my most cherished moments as a cricketer. We dreamed of playing for Nepal together.'

That dream came true in 2024 when all five were included in the T20 World Cup squad in the USA and West Indies. Four of them—Bhurtel, Paudel, Airee, and Jora—are also playing in the 2026 edition.

'We still remember those days,' Bhurtel says, 'We were like brothers. No fights, no insecurity, no jealousy. Only one dream: to play together.'

In 2018, Bhurtel was recruited into the Army under the sports quota, while his friends were still in the U-19 setup. The income he earned helped support them.

'That helped pay the rent in Kathmandu. Sometimes, when others didn't have money, Dipendra and I covered the expenses together. It also saved my cricket. I didn't want to return to the village. The decision to stay together and train, even with little opportunity, was the best one.'

It was only after an excellent performance opening the batting in the Pokhara Premier League (PPL) in 2021 that he got a chance to debut for the national team. Two years later, he transformed from a middle-order batter into a hard-hitting opener and a useful leg-spinner.

Bhurtel says that in every session of the national camp since his debut, he has bowled at least '400 to 500 balls.' 'I used to do 'spot bowling' for hours. I didn't know how to bowl a googly. But continuous practice helped me master that too.'

The result of that practice was seen in the 2024 T20 World Cup when he took 4 wickets against South Africa in St. Vincent. 'We lost by 1 run,' he says sadly. But his eyes light up when recalling taking the wickets of Aiden Markram and Heinrich Klaasen.

After that, he tells an old anecdote. 'Actually, the reason for starting leg-spin is...'

He stops. 'My back was broken (he had back problems).'

Was that an injury from bodybuilding or the gym?

'Because of the dishes and clothes,' he replies, laughing. 'When the five of us lived together, we didn't have money to buy a washing machine. Washing dishes and clothes for years caused problems in my lower back, so I decided to shift to spin bowling.'

'Thank God for that injury. I got the chance to learn a second skill (bowling).'

Bhurtel is certainly a cricket lover. As we were talking, his team had just finished the final match of the Nepal Premier League (NPL). His head coach, Stuart Law, had told him to skip the gym for a few days and rest.

'I came anyway; I'm used to it,' he says, 'I can't sit quietly at home. Either I must be in the gym or on the field in the morning. Otherwise, I feel like something is missing.'

Nepal's former coach, Monty Desai, also says he has never seen a more resilient player than Bhurtel.

In 2023, when Nepal was on the verge of losing its ODI status and playing a crucial match against Namibia, Bhurtel received a call from home. His mother had been injured by burns. Bhurtel immediately went home, brought his mother to Kathmandu for treatment, and then took to the field against Namibia.

He gathered all his strength and courage and hit his first ODI century. That was the start of a fantastic run of 11 wins in 12 matches, which took Nepal to the 2023 World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe.

'I am very indebted to Monty Sir,' Bhurtel says, 'All the coaches I have worked with have helped me. Manoj Prabhakar (2022) supported me as a leg-spinner. Stuart Law is a great motivator. Monty Sir—he was amazing, not just on the field, but off it too.'

'I learned a lot about team unity, culture, and the importance of being disciplined. In fact, when his tenure ended last year, my sister was also very emotional. He was connected to the team like family.'

On Thursday, when Bhurtel will play against Italy, Desai will be watching him and his teammates from the stands of Wankhede Stadium. Perhaps there will be a silent message there: if Nepal keeps playing like this, the day to play Australia is not far off.

ESPN Cricinfo