Young all-rounder Gulshan Jha has made history as the first Nepali cricketer to take five wickets and score over 50 runs in a single One Day International (ODI) match. Despite Nepal’s narrow 1-wicket loss to Oman on Thursday morning, Gulshan scored 53 runs and claimed 5 wickets.
Previously, Sandeep Lamichhane, Karan KC (three times each), and Sompal Kami and Lalit Rajbanshi (once each) had taken five or more wickets in an ODI for Nepal, but none of them had managed to score a half-century in the same match.
Gulshan is the 24th player in ODI history to achieve this feat. The most recent player to do so was Bas de Leede of the Netherlands, who scored 123 runs and took 5 wickets against Scotland during the 2023 ICC World Cup Qualifiers in July.
Against Oman, Gulshan smashed 53 runs off 35 balls, including three fours and five sixes. He also bowled 10 overs, giving away 47 runs and taking 5 wickets, including 2 maiden overs. Despite the loss, Gulshan was named Player of the Match. Oman chased down Nepal’s target of 221, finishing at 222 for 9 in 49.5 overs.
