Former national captain Gyanendra Malla ended his almost two-decade long cricket career with immediate effect on Friday.

“I think it is the right time to retire,” said the 32-year old, who is considered one of the members of the ‘golden generation’ of Nepal cricket and achieved what his predecessors dreamt of.

After making his debut as a member of the Under-15 national cricket team during 2005, Malla never had to look back. In the same year, he was picked for the national team to compete in the Asian Cricket Council’s Under 17 and Under 19 age group tournaments.

In 2006, Malla made it to Nepal’s Under-19 squad that played in the Under-19 World Cup. He was one of the key members of the squad that beat South Africa in the Plate semi-final. He was picked for the national team that played in the Intercontinental Cup in 2006. Since then, he had stamped his place as an inevitable member of the national team.

“It has been nearly two decades that I have been associated with the national team and got the opportunity to represent the country for 18 years — also as deputy captain and captain,” said the top order batter. “As a player, I always tried to give my cent percent, shouldering the hopes and collective dreams of the country. I am thankful for the opportunity and I feel proud to have carried the national flag.”

Considered as one of the most talented batsmen of Nepal, Malla, however, faced criticism for lack of consistency with the bat throughout his cricketing career and was being criticised for lack of form of late.

Malla was assigned the vice captaincy in 2009 at a time when former player Paras Khadka was named the national captain. He was understood to have a strong bonding with Khadka and remained his deputy until the latter stepped down as captain in 2019. He was elevated to captain’s role after Khadka.

Nepal’s maiden appearance in the ICC World T20 and gaining One-Day International (ODI) status were among the major highlights of his career.

Malla was an influential member of the team that qualified for the global stage of the shortest format of the game — Twenty20. He also played a key role in Nepal’s elevation from Division 5 in 2010 to gaining ODI status for the first time in 2018.

All in all, Malla played 37 ODIs and scored 876 runs that included seven half centuries. In his 45 Twenty20 International games, he scored 883 runs, which included a century and two half centuries. His century came against Bhutan in the 2019 South Asian Games (SAG) at the TU cricket ground.

He is currently the fifth-highest run scorer for Nepal in ODIs and the second-highest in T20Is, only behind Dipendra Singh Airee.

He had to go through a roller-coaster ride following his assignment as captain. Malla and three other players, including then vice-captain Dipendra Singh Airee were stripped of their duties by the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) in December 2021 alleging violation of the code of conduct.

At the time, CAN also announced that the four players, including captain Malla would also be stripped of their central contract for six months. CAN and the four players later reached an agreement and they were also called to the national camp within a month. However, Sandeep Lamichhane was named the new captain instead of Malla.

Malla was struggling for form and a place in the starting XI of late. Though he was part of the Nepali team under coach Monty Desai, he was included in the playing XI only twice in the recently-held ICC World Cup Qualifier where Nepal played six matches. He was included in the starting lineup in the playoffs after Nepal bowed out from the race of qualification into the knockout stage.

“It is the rule of nature to be replaced. I might have replaced someone in the game and it is my time to be replaced. This isn’t a farewell; it’s a new chapter of my journey. A journey where I continue to be a staunch supporter of the sport, a witness to its evolution and a proud flag bearer of the country I loved dearly.”