Kushal Malla : Why not in World cup Squad?
January 14, 2026The record for the highest runs scored in a single T20I match for Nepal is held by Kushal Malla. He played an innings of 137 runs not out. Out of that score, 104 runs were made with the help of fours and sixes.
Kushal Malla made his national team debut at the age of 15. Without hesitation, it must be said from the heart that Kushal Malla is one of the key players in Nepal’s cricket team; he is a left-hand batter and a slow left-arm orthodox bowler. He has made significant contributions to Nepal at the international level, won many matches, and created a lot of history.
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But why he couldn’t make it to the squad that going to play in the World Cup this time? What axed him? How did Bashir Ahmed and Sandeep Jora push him behind? Why the coach and selectors didn’t consider him as a suitable option for Nepal in the 2026 T20 World Cup? And why Sandeep Jora is a better option than Kushal Malla? Why the selectors and coach considered Bashir Ahmed suitable for Kushal Malla’s place? Let’s discuss everything based on data
In his career so far, in T20 internationals, Kushal Malla has played 59 matches, batting in 53 innings and scoring 1003 runs, with an average of 23.33, strike rate of 138.54, 1 century, and 4 half-centuries. In bowling, he has taken 19 wickets in 28 innings, with an average of 21.21 and economy of 6.30. Kushal Malla debuted for Nepal in 2019 and in the best form of his career in 2020, 2021, and 2023. In those three years, his strike rate was over 160, and his average runs were over 50.
But in 2025, the data mentioned above is mocking him himself.
In 2025, Kushal Malla played 10 innings in T20 internationals and scored only 86 runs. His average is 8.6, which is extremely low for the T20I format. His strike rate is 83.5; in 2025 and his aggressive batting style declined. His highest score was only 30, and he couldn’t score any century or half-century. In 2025, he hit only 4 fours and 3 sixes; the power-hitting ability of the player once discussed as Nepal’s 360-degree player saw a significant decline in 2025. During Nepal’s 2025 tour of Australia, Kushal scored 141 runs in 5 innings; his average was good, as he scored runs at an average of 29.60 in the top-end series. That series was like a practice series for Nepal.
But when the major tournament came, he couldn’t perform.
In the T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, he scored 33 runs in 5 innings, where his average was only 6.5. In the Nepal vs. West Indies series 2025, he scored 49 runs in 3 innings, including 30 runs in one match, but his strike rate was below 100, meaning only 96.
Kushal Malla has taken 19 wickets in his career so far, but in 2025, he bowled in only one match and remained wicketless.
Overall, in 2025, Kushal Malla scored only 86 runs from the 10 matches he played, and that too at a strike rate of just 83.5. On the bowling side, he was wicketless. Nepal’s team didn’t even use him much in bowling.
These data and weak performances prevented the selectors and coach from inviting Kushal Malla to the World Cup squad.
Now, let’s talk about why Bashir and Sandeep Jora became suitable options in place of Kushal Malla.
The 2026 T20 World Cup is an important opportunity for Nepal, where the team needs a strong batting and bowling balance. Kushal Malla’s 2025 data shows that he is not suitable for this.
First, his batting average is only 8.6, which is extremely low for a middle-order batter in T20. He scored only 86 runs overall in the year, which clearly shows he was not in form. In a tournament like the T20 World Cup where every match is decisive, such an average would be a burden on the team.
Second, his strike rate is 83.5, which doesn’t match the style and requirements of T20. Even his own old strike rate mocks him. In 2024, he tried to change his playing style, and he is still paying the principal and interest for that. He has neither been able to perform his natural game nor make significant contributions to the development of the innings. He hasn’t done justice to the role of an all-rounder either. In the World Cup, all-rounders need to contribute on both sides, but Kushal’s data shows him as very weak. The coach, captain, and selectors couldn’t ignore this data.
Third, Kushal’s performance has been weak in pressure situations. He scored 49 runs in the West Indies series. Nepal won the series too, but Kushal’s contribution was minimal. The hard-hitter of Nepal from some time ago is now in a subdued state. For the World Cup, Nepal needs experienced players as well as those in form, but Kushal’s 8.6 average and 83.5 strike rate make him a risky option. This could disrupt the team’s balance, which would affect Nepal’s World Cup dream.
Why Sandeep Jora is a better option than Kushal Malla:
Sandeep Jora is Nepal’s right-hand batter, whose 2025 performance is better than Kushal Malla’s. In 2025, Jora played 7 matches, batting in 7 innings and scoring 101 runs, with an average of 16.83, strike rate of 127.84, highest score of 63 runs, 1 half-century, 3 fours, and 7 sixes. This is much better than Kushal’s 86 runs, 8.6 average, and 83.5 strike rate. Jora’s strike rate of 127.84 also proves that he is the right batter for T20 and shows he is in rhythm. His ability to pick the ball is seen to be better than Kushal’s on the field. Although Sandeep has gotten out for few runs, his hunger to score runs seems greater than Kushal’s, which allows him to play the role of a finisher in the middle order.
For the World Cup, Nepal needs batters with high strike rates, and Jora’s 7 sixes (more than Kushal’s 3) prove this. In Nepal’s Hong Kong series, Jora scored 176 runs at an average of 88.00, which is excellent compared to Kushal’s performance. Therefore, Jora is a better option than Kushal, as he increases the team’s scoring.
Why Bashir Ahmed is a suitable option in place of Kushal Malla
Bashir Ahmad is a left-hand batter and slow left-arm orthodox bowler, who can play a similar role to Kushal Malla. In T20 internationals, he has played 7 matches, batting in 4 innings and scoring 123 runs, with an average of 61.5, strike rate of 135.16, highest of 80, 1 half-century, 10 fours, and 4 sixes. This is much higher than Kushal’s 2025 average of 8.6. In bowling, 2 wickets in 2 innings, average 24.50, economy 8.17, best 2/30.
Bashir scored 191 runs in 9 matches in the NPL 2025, which included pressure innings. In the final of the Hong Kong series against Kuwait, he took the game from 92/8 to the last over, showing finishing ability. In the NPL 2025, against Karnali Yaks, he hit a six on the last ball to win, which proves his ability to perform under pressure. We haven’t seen this kind of game from Kushal Malla for years. In bowling too, Bashir is delivering quality bowling better than Kushal Malla. For this reason, in the eyes of the selectors and coach, Bashir Ahmed appears as a much better option than Kushal Malla.
S- Editor
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