Shikhar Dhawan arrives in Kathmandu for Nepal Premier League, receives rousing welcome from fans

Welcomed by a sea of fans and followers' Dhawan nicknamed "Gabbar" wore a Nepali 'Dhaka Topi' as he walked out of the VIP terminal of the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu.

"This is my first ever visit to Nepal. I am happy that I am here to play in the Nepal Premier League (NPL) from Karnali Yaks. I am excited to play the matches with the local players and Nepali (national team) players as well as to put on a good show. Along with, Nepal for which it is famous- the Pashupatinath Temple and the Mount Everest, I will try to visit those places and experience it," Dhawan said as he interacted with the media.

Earlier in August this year, the fierce Indian opener announced his retirement from domestic as well as International cricket and joined the Karnali Yaks after Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Punjab Kings (PBKS) released him before the recently-concluded 2025 mega-auction of the cash-rich league.

In IPL 2024, Shikhar Dhawan represented the Punjab-based franchise in 5 matches and scored 152 runs at a strike rate of 125.62. His time with the Kings in IPL 2024 was cut short after he suffered an injury which forced him out of the field for the rest of the season.

The 38-year-old brought the curtains down on his illustrious career by taking to Instagram and sharing an emotional message to announce his decision. In his illustrious career, runs effortlessly came off Dhawan's bat. He represented India across all formats, but ODI was his forte.

In 167 appearances, the southpaw produced swashbuckling performances and racked up 6,793 runs at an average of 44.1, including 17 centuries and 39 fifties.

In the longest format of cricket, where he stitched up memorable partnerships with Murali Vijay, Dhawan garnered 2,315 runs in 34 matches at an average of 40.6. His Test career was laced with seven tons and five half-centuries.

In the T20I format, Dhawan made 68 appearances and scored 1,759 runs at an average of 27.9, including 11 fifties. In the domestic circuit, Dhawan played 122 First-Class cricket matches and handsomely scored 8,499 runs at an average of 44.26, including 25 centuries and 29 fifties. (ANI)