KATHMANDU: With a career record of 75 wickets secured across 59 innings, including two maidens, Abinash Bohara demonstrates statistical parity with national team stalwarts like Sandeep Lamichhane, Karan KC, and Sompal Kami. Crucially, his bowling average is superior to both Karan and Sompal. Tragically, despite this superior performance, Bohara has been conspicuously absent from the national team for nearly one and a half years.

Bohara last played against Bangladesh in the International Cricket Council (ICC) T-20 World Cup held in the United States and the West Indies. In that match, which Nepal lost by 21 runs, Bohara conceded 10 runs in one over. Across three games in the same World Cup, he bowled a total of 7.4 overs, giving 58 runs and taking only one wicket.

At that time, he was included among the most expensive bowlers in the national squad. Since then, Nepal has played a T-20 series in Hong Kong and 24 international matches, including the West Indies series and the World Cup Qualifier. However, Bohara has not been able to secure a spot in the team.

The narrative is shifting now. In the second edition of the ongoing Nepal Premier League (NPL) at the Tribhuvan University (TU) Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, Bohara is demonstrating excellent form. As the pivotal bowler for the defending runner-up Sudurpaschim Royals, he has already claimed 14 wickets in seven games. His combination of precise line and length, control during the power play, and impactful death over variations strongly demonstrates his capability for a national team recall.

“I am fulfilling the responsibility the team has given me, and I am very happy,” Bohara told Nepal News.

Nepal seeks alternatives

For the last one decade, the identity of fast bowling in Nepali cricket has been associated with the names Sompal and Karan. Following the arrival of these two, the Nepali team, which was revolving around the ‘swing’ of Basant Regmi and Shakti Gauchan, gained an identity for fast bowling in international cricket.

When Sompal debuted against Hong Kong in the ICC T20 World Cup held in Bangladesh in 2014, he was only 18 years old. Due to his precise pace, rhythm, and confidence, he took four wickets in three games, changing the landscape of Nepali cricket.

“I am fulfilling the responsibility the team has given me, and I am very happy,” Bohara told Nepal News.

Just one year after Sompal’s arrival, Karan KC debuted for the national team. His arrival added an aggressive and wicket-taking tendency to the national team’s bowling department. Their role is considered crucial in bringing Nepali cricket to the world stage. Nepal achieved dreamlike One Day International (ODI) status two times in a row. They also secured a spot in the ICC T-20 World Cup two times consecutively and the Asia Cup one time.

They were also key players who led the team to victory in difficult circumstances during this journey. However, every era must end. Now, both these bowlers are in the latter half of their careers. Due to age, excessive match workload, and injuries, the availability of both players at the international level has been steadily declining.

Due to injury, Karan was absent from the field for some matches in recent tournaments. Sompal has also been in and out of the team due to fitness and performance fluctuations. Therefore, it is time to find successors for these two bowlers.

In such a situation, Abinash Bohara has emerged as an influential alternative. Nandan Yadav has also been visible as another option in recent years.

Abinash Bohara. Photo Courtesy: NPL

The bowler who failed to find consistency

It must be considered a coincidence that the franchise league suits Abinash. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this franchise league proved to be a boon for him to pave his way to the national team. Born in Shimla, India, with his ancestral home in Dang, he demonstrated his potential in the Everest Premier League (EPL) held in 2016. In that edition, playing for Kantipur Gurkhas, Bohara bowled 15 overs and took five wickets. He was in the third position on the list of top wicket-takers for the team. He dismissed Panchakanya Tej captain Sharad Vesawkar, along with Prithu Baskota, Aarif Sheikh, and Dipendra Singh Airee. He sent Aarif and Prithu back to the pavilion for zero runs. He got Sharad out for one run. Since then, his discussion suddenly escalated.

Based on that performance, he was also contracted by the APF Club. At least two years later, he played the EPL with Sharad for another team, the Bhairahawa Gladiators. In that tournament, he took seven wickets in eight games. After that, he was given a place in the national team. When Nepal toured the UAE in 2019, he secured a place in the team alongside Sompal and Karan. His debut match was not so pleasant. He bowled four overs, conceded 36 runs, and took only one wicket. Nepal lost that match by 21 runs. However, he made an excellent comeback in the second game. Bohara, who bowled four overs, conceded 20 runs and took three wickets. In that match, he stopped CP Rizwan, who was six runs short of a half-century. He also dismissed Amir Hayat and Mohammad Naveed. Based on his performance, Nepal won the match by four wickets with three balls to spare. In the final game, he bowled just as sharply. He conceded 16 runs in two overs, bringing his total wicket count to seven. This made him the leading wicket-taker, and he was declared the player of the series.

The ICC World Cup League-2 was held the next year at the TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. He debuted on home soil against Oman. However, his performance in cricket’s medium format was not pleasant. He bowled eight overs and conceded 38 runs. In the next match against the United States, he bowled five overs, conceding 13 runs. He did not get a wicket. Since then, he has not been able to secure a place in the ODI squad.

Bohara often faces criticism. The main reason for this is his disappointing performance. Bohara, who has left a strong impression in domestic cricket, has not been able to maintain that impact at the national team level. He is considered a promising bowler by many due to his ability to take wickets regularly, bowl tightly, and turn the game around during pressure moments. However, in recent tournaments, he has shown neither consistency in this nor stability in his bowling.

In 2022, after playing the ICC T-20 World Cup Asia Cup Qualifier, he migrated to Australia. However, one year later, the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) decided to organize its own franchise league, the Nepal T-20, for the first time. He returned to his home country.

Abinash Bohara. Photo Courtesy: NPL

His team, Kathmandu Knights, was eliminated in the league stage. However, he did not stop. He became the highest wicket-taker of the tournament, taking 19 wickets in 10 games. Following this, the then head coach Monty Desai cleared his path to the national team.

In the Hangzhou Asian Games held in China the same year, he made history. As the Maldives were bowled out for 74 runs, he took six wickets for 11 runs in 3.4 overs for Nepal. He is the first bowler for Nepal to take six wickets in a T-20 International.

In the 20th over of that match, he took the wickets of Hussain Saadhin, Mohamed Miuvaan, and Nasir Nail Islam. After that, his role shifted towards the death overs. However, he has not been able to fully prove himself in this role either. In the final of the Tri-Nation Series against the Netherlands and the UAE on home soil in 2024, he failed badly. The Netherlands was chasing a target of 185 runs. They needed 40 runs off the last 18 balls for victory. Coach Desai brought Abinash on as a death-over specialist to defend that target. However, he conceded two fours and two sixes to Sybrand Engelbrecht in the 18th over. He spent 21 runs in that over. Due to his expensive over, the Netherlands reached the target, losing six wickets in 19.3 overs, and won the trophy.

In fact, he had already broken Desai’s trust in the final of the ICC T-20 World Cup Asia Qualifier held on home soil the previous year. He conceded 21 runs in the Super Over of the final against Oman. Having grown up watching the game of Sri Lankan yorker king Lasith Malinga, he bowled six yorkers out of six balls. However, Neesam Khushi easily hit three sixes. Although Nepal had qualified for the World Cup before that match, they missed the chance to lift the trophy in front of their home crowd.

Looking at the fact that he has taken more than 75 wickets in international cricket, he was being portrayed as a player who could become a future regular replacement for Sandeep, Karan, or Sompal. However, his poor form in the national team has kept him out of the squad for a long time.

Despite all this, he is a player full of capability and potential. Only a few bad games do not determine the direction of his career. If he gets international exposure, regular practice, and rebuilds his confidence, no one can stop him from returning to the national team.

Abinash Bohara. Photo Courtesy: NPL