“I might be 33, but the way I have evolved in Nepali cricket, I feel that I am past 50 mentally,” said Paras Khadka, Nepali cricketer par excellence, during his press conference a day after he announced retirement from international cricket. It was not only Khadka, though, who has evolved. Nepali cricket has come of age in tandem even as Khadka brought home one international trophy after another and ushered the country into the global stage. Khadka’s success story runs parallel with the destiny of Nepali cricket.

Khadka, arguably the tallest guy in Nepali cricket—literally—rose to the heights of success few cricketers before him had dared to dream of. Having entered the field in 2002, Khadka represented the country in the Under-19 World Cup in 2004, 2006 and 2008 while also being part of the senior side. He played 10 ODIs and scored 315 runs and in 33 T20Is he made 799 runs. Nepal’s highest scorer in both formats, Khadka not only made cricket cool among Nepalis, but also inspired a young generation of players to believe in their dreams and take cricketing as a career seriously.

Under Khadka’s able leadership, Nepal advanced from a Division 5 team, the lowest tier of international cricket, in 2010 to its status as a one-day international (ODI) nation, the highest tier, in 2018. The highlight of his career, of course, was Nepal’s debut in the 2014 T20 World Cup. Each success story that Khadka was a protagonist of brought with it scores of new fans. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that many fans were drawn to cricket because of the former captain’s dashing personality and sportsmanship. But the good news is, the fans will stick around and keep supporting Nepali cricket, for they have grown used to cheering for the country.

Nepali cricket fans will take some time to get used to watching Nepali cricket matches without Khadka holding the fort. However, on Wednesday, during his first post-retirement press conference, Khadka was clear-headed in saying that his association with cricket had only transitioned from passion into a career, and that he plans to stick around to support the game as an administrator. A great consolation, indeed, for the fans who want to see the management of Nepali cricket evolve just as the players have over the years. He was the most reliable player in the field, and he can be expected to exhibit the same level of grit and maturity when it comes to managing cricket and producing a new generation of cricketers.

Arguably the most well-known sportsman in the country, Khadka commanded immense respect from fans, colleagues and other stakeholders. He will be remembered for his ability to lead his team to success and inculcate in them the spirit of sportsmanship. Not only did he take leadership of Nepali cricket and bring us to where we are today, Khadka also knew when to step aside and let others come to the forefront, having left captaincy after a decade in 2019 and resigned from international cricket at just thirty-three. A shrewd batsman in the field, he knew exactly when he was supposed to pass the baton and exit the field so that the next generation could take the game forward. What a great first innings, aye, Captain!