A Rising Star in Nepali Cricket
Kathmandu, April 5 — At just 20 years of age, Arjun Kumal has made history by becoming the fastest player to score 1,000 runs in the Men's PM Cup, Nepal's premier one-day tournament. His achievement came on Saturday when he scored a century against Koshi Province at TB Shah Cricket Ground in Birgunj. This was his second-ever century in the tournament.
Kumal, who plays for Gandaki Province, played a crucial role in helping his team reach a total of 227/7. His innings of 102 off 141 balls, along with skipper Bipin Khatri’s 76 off 86, were instrumental in the victory. The partnership between Kumal and Khatri, which yielded 167 runs for the seventh wicket, became the biggest partnership for the wicket in the tournament's history.
Gandaki started the match poorly, losing their opening batsman Gaurav BK for a duck. However, Kumal and Khatri led a remarkable comeback. After Subash Bhandari was dismissed for the sixth wicket, the pair took control of the innings. They didn’t lose any wickets after that, and Kumal was run out on the last ball of the innings.
On the back of their strong batting performance, Gandaki dismantled Koshi Province’s chase. Despite putting up a fight, Koshi managed only 188/9, and Gandaki won by 39 runs. Kumal was named the player of the match, marking his second win in six matches this season.
Gandaki currently sit in seventh place in the points table with five points, tied with fifth-placed Lumbini and sixth-placed Armed Police Force (APF). APF also secured their second win in six matches after defeating Karnali Province by 10 wickets in the other match on Saturday. Their bowling attack, featuring Kamal Airee and Avishek Gautam, restricted Karnali to 107 runs in 36 overs. APF then chased the target in just 12 overs, thanks to Aasif Sheikh’s 65 off 38 and Dipak Bohara’s 42 off 34.
While APF put up a dominant performance, it was Kumal who stole the spotlight. He now has 1,030 runs in 25 matches in the Men's PM Cup. His journey in the tournament began in 2021 when he made his debut at just 15 years old. In his first match, he scored 36 off 54 balls, showing promise as a young talent.
In the following matches, Kumal continued to impress, scoring 35 off 68 and 46 off 106. Although he had a rough patch later in the season, his performances established him as a key player in Nepali cricket.
In the 2022 edition, Kumal scored 144 runs in four matches, including a maiden half-century. He missed the 2024 edition due to his commitments with the U19 national team but returned in 2025 to become the highest run-scorer of the edition with 374 runs in nine games. His performance included a century against Madhesh, which marked a significant milestone in his career.
As the eighth edition of the Men's PM Cup reaches its halfway point, Kumal remains consistent. He has scored 346 runs in six matches, far ahead of other batters like APF’s Aasif Sheikh, who has 247 runs in the same number of games.
A Young Prodigy on the Rise
Kumal's success is not limited to domestic cricket. He played a vital role in Nepal’s qualification for the 2024 U19 World Cup. During the 2023 Asian Qualifier, he scored 185 runs, including a standout 108 off 112 against Kuwait. His performances helped the young Rhinos remain unbeaten and secure a spot in the World Cup.
In the 2024 U19 World Cup, Kumal continued to shine, scoring 90 off 104 against New Zealand. Earlier in the 2023 U19 Asia Cup, he contributed 21 off 37 against Pakistan and 91 off 108 against Afghanistan.
Nepal also hosted Ireland-A in March 2024 for a series. Kumal was part of the squad for a three-match one-day series and emerged as the leading run-scorer for Nepal-A, accumulating 111 runs in three matches.
Despite his success in longer formats, Kumal has yet to make an impact in T20 cricket. He was initially signed by Sudurpashchim Royals in the inaugural Nepal Premier League in 2024 but didn’t get to play. In the second edition, he was bought by Pokhara Avengers but featured in only one match, where he scored 43 off 53.
However, Kumal remains focused on his domestic career and is not concerned about his senior team debut. “It is not in my hands to be called into the senior national team,” he said. “What I can do is score runs and help my team win.” As Nepali cricket fans eagerly await his debut, Kumal continues to prove why he is considered a generational talent.