Shikhar Dhawan set to feature in Nepal Premier League
Shikhar Dhawan, one of the most celebrated names in Indian cricket, has been confirmed to play in the inaugural Nepal Premier League (NPL). The left-handed batter will play for the Karnali Yaks in the tournament this year. The announcement comes months after he retired from Indian cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL). Dhawan was Indian cricket team's mainstay opener across formats for several years.
NPL 2024: A new chapter in Dhawan's cricketing journey
The NPL 2024 will be an eight-team tournament, starting from November 30 and ending on December 21. The tournament will have 32 matches, including knockout phases like the IPL. This will include an eliminator, two qualifiers, and a final match. The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) will organize the flagship T20 tournament.
Dhawan joins international stars in NPL 2024
The NPL 2024 will also see other international cricket stars like James Neesham, Martin Guptill, Unmukt Chand, and Ben Cutting. Dhawan is the fourth overseas signing for Karnali Yaks. The franchise has already signed Pakistan's Mohammad Hussain Talat, Hong Kong's Babar Hayat, and West Indies's Chadwick Walton. Notably, all NPL 2024 matches will be hosted at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, Nepal.
Dhawan retired earlier this year
Dhawan announced his retirement from both international and domestic cricket earlier this year. The 38-year-old left-handed batter shared this news through a touching video on social media. The left-handed opener amassed a total of 10,867 runs, featuring in 269 internationals, with 24 centuries, 55 half-centuries, and 1,349 boundaries in a career spanning 12 long years. Throughout his IPL career, Dhawan played 222 matches for various franchises, scoring 6,769 runs, the second-highest in the tournament, behind Virat Kohli's 8,004 runs.
