Player details
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Kushal Malla |
| Date of birth | 5 March 2004 |
| Country | Nepal |
| Playing role | All-rounder |
| Batting style | Left-handed |
| Bowling style | Slow left-arm orthodox |
| NPL team (Season 3) | Chitwan Rhinos |
| Joined | Retained |
Season 3 numbers
Batting — Season 3
| Matches | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | Highest | Strike rate | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 24 | 25 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 96.00 | 12.00 |
Bowling — Season 3
| Matches | Balls | Runs | Wickets | Economy | Average | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 36 | 51 | 1 | 8.50 | 51.00 | 1/12 |
Twenty-four runs in two innings, one wicket in two matches — the captain’s own numbers are quiet so far. He made 11 against Pokhara in Match 17 and 13 against Kathmandu in Match 20, and his one wicket was 1 for 12 in the Pokhara game, where he also bowled four overs. In the other match he bowled, against Kathmandu, two overs went for 39. He has not batted in the other two result games — the top order did the job without him in the Biratnagar win and the Royals defeat. Every Chitwan result so far is on the NPL Results page.
The numbers need context. A captain who bats in the middle order and bowls his full quota will have quiet games; the worry is not the 24 runs, it is that the run-in will ask more of him than the first five games did. The Rhinos’ batting has leaned on the overseas names so far, and the last two games are exactly the sort of high-stakes evening where a captain’s innings changes a season.
The captain’s workload
Malla’s brief is the heaviest in the squad: premier batter, frontline spinner, and leader of a rebuild from two wins. Across 61 T20 internationals he strikes above 136 with the bat and has taken 20 wickets with his slow left-arm orthodox — a genuine second skill, not a captain’s part-time. Add the captaincy — bowling changes, field settings, the tempo of the whole side — and no other Rhino carries as much of the season on his shoulders.
That weight is also the reason the franchise built the side around him for a third straight season. The marquee tag has followed him since 2024, and the captaincy is the franchise saying the rebuild runs through him. If Chitwan reach the playoffs, it will be because his batting and bowling both delivered and the squad followed.
The 34-ball hundred
The innings every Nepal fan knows is the 34-ball T20I hundred against Mongolia at the Asian Games — the fastest T20I hundred at the time it was played, and still the most famous knock of Malla’s career. It is the reason his name carries weight beyond the NPL: a 22-year-old left-hander who has already produced one of the great days in his country’s cricket history.
The outside world confirmed what Nepal already knew when the Desert Vipers signed him for the ILT20 in December 2024. Closer to home, his player-of-the-match evening against Janakpur Bolts in December 2024 — 72 from 41 balls and two wickets — showed the two-skill game in a single match. The 2024 Eliminator run is the standard this squad is trying to rediscover, and he was there for it.
The run-in, through the captain
Chitwan are fourth after Match 21, with five points from five games and a net run rate of +0.009. The full table is on the NPL Points Table, and the remaining fixtures are on the NPL Schedule. Two league games are left: Janakpur Bolts on Friday 13 November and Karnali Yaks on Sunday 15 November. Win both and the Rhinos reach nine points — enough to guarantee a playoff place, whatever happens elsewhere.
For Malla personally, the run-in is a chance to put his own stamp on the season. The captain has batted twice in five games; the last two are the ones the whole campaign will be judged on. Every Chitwan result is on the Nepal Premier League hub — follow it all on SialTV.
Frequently asked questions
Is Kushal Malla the Chitwan Rhinos captain?
Yes. Season 3 is his first campaign as captain, after three seasons as the franchise’s marquee player. Sohail Tanvir is head coach.
What is Kushal Malla’s T20I record?
Sixty-one T20 internationals, a strike rate above 136, 20 wickets with slow left-arm orthodox — and a 34-ball hundred against Mongolia at the Asian Games, the fastest T20I hundred at the time.
How has he done in NPL Season 3?
Twenty-four runs in two innings, with a highest score of 13, and one wicket in two matches with the ball. The runs have not come yet — the run-in is where the captain’s season will be decided.