Kusal Mendis rewarded with dual captaincy by Sri Lanka for West Indies tour after brilliant PSL 2026

Raj Thapa is a senior sports journalist for The Himalayan Times, widely regarded as one of the most consistent chroniclers of Nepal’s cricket journey from obscurity to the ICC global stage. A Tribhuvan University graduate, he began covering school and university cricket in the Kathmandu Valley before witnessing firsthand the national team’s rise through the World Cricket League. Raj specialises in fast bowling analysis, a rare focus in a region dominated by spin, and has tracked Nepal’s emerging seam attack with technical precision. He has reported from ICC World Cup Qualifiers, multiple Everest Premier League seasons, and bilateral series across South Asia. His writing blends match‑day insight with long‑term narratives about the structures and sacrifices behind Associate Member sport. A recipient of the NSJF award and his newspaper’s top journalism honour, Raj remains a passionate advocate for youth cricket and a firm believer that Nepal’s best sporting stories are yet to be written.