Cricnepal/Kathmandu
Rakesh Karn, former Domestic Cricketer for Kathmandu has been pursuing his Cricketing Aspiration in USA featuring in Texas Cricket League organized by North Texas Cricket Association (NTCA), USA.
“The passion hasn’t died”, Karn explained Cricnepal when inquired about continuing Cricket in USA. He made his cricketing Debut in USA playing for Colonial Cricket and Social Club(CLCC) in a A Division Match against OCC-Lions in March 2010. He featured in 27 matches that season for CLCC 1stand 2nd XI scoring 738 runs with an average of over 32. His top score of the season; 87 off just 47 balls in the summer league. He also featured alongside former player of Nepali National Cricket Team, Bardan Chalise in NTCA T20 Tournament. He scored 257 runs in 9 matches for CLCC 1st XI in the T20 Tournament with 2 half centuries.
Karn first debuted in Nepali National Cricket playing for Region No. 3 (Kathmandu) U-17 Team in 2000 as a wicket keeping batsman. Playing District level selection games from Janakpur he represented Region No.3 in two more National Games-Under 15 National Cricket Tournament 2002 and Under 17 National Cricket Tournament 2003. He played alongside the present captain and vice captain of Nepal Paras Khadka and Gyanendra Malla in the tournaments scoring runs at impressive average of 35.
He is just one many Nepali players who left the country in pursuit if good education and career leaving their cricket behind but their passion for the game dragged them back once again to the 22 yards.
Having played just 3 seasons of Nepali Youth Cricket he had already established himself as a good player. Even though its been over a decade he has played Cricket in Nepal he is still well known among the Cricketing fraternity.”He was a good player, extremely passionate about the game. We played together as well. He was a top order batsmen with very good technique” opined Sharad Veswarkar when asked about Karn.
The best memory of his Cricket would be the century against Mahottari in District Level Selection Tournament where he slammed magical 110 runs to guide his team to comfortable win.
Having played in the highest level in Nepali Cricket Tournament a decade back he has made that route in the Texas League as well. This year he is playing in the Premiere Division with Dallas County Cricket Club(DCCC) alongside Jignesh Desai, former USA International who played for USA in 2004 ICC Champions Trophy. He has already impressed this year with 92 runs off just 96 balls against Plano Cricket Club( PCC) Googlies. He has scored 187 runs in the 10 premiere division matches for DCCC with average nearly 27 runs and has also picked up 8 wickets with impressive average of 26 runs.
While contributing with bat and gloves, he started Coaching for Southern Arkansas University(SAU) Cricket Club from August 2006 to August 2008. He managed 44 runs playing against Louisiana Tech.
Playing at the highest level in Texas has a lot more to offer. Playing in the same league with members of USA Cricket Team Desai, Orlando Baker, Sushil Nadkarni and Rahul Kukreti, good performance at this level can easily get him a call to US National Team.
