Nepal has established itself as a prominent hub for left-arm spinners, with numerous talented bowlers emerging from the country. From Basanta Regmi and Shakti Gauchan to the present day, Team Nepal has witnessed the emergence of several left-arm spinners who have not only made their mark at different levels but also have been an important part of the national team.
One such promising left-arm orthodox bowler is Surya Tamang, who is in Nepal’s squad for ACC Emerging Asia Cup 2023. The 21-year-old spinner was called into Nepal’s squad for the first time in the CWC League 2 Tri-Series against Namibia and Scotland.
Tamang has the experience of playing for Nepal U16 and U19. He was adjudged as the emerging player of the tournament of the inaugural edition of the Nepal T20 League.
Who is Surya Tamang, and how he emerged as a cricketer?
Born and grew up in Kathmandu, Tamang was influenced by the Cricket craze in Nepal during the T20 World Cup 2014, a period when Nepal was gripped by cricket fever. Surya used to play with his friend, which caught the attention of Nabin Pradhan, who recognized his talent and discussed it with Surya’s mother. Later, his mother enrolled him at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) to nurture his skills.
Surya started training at NCA, where he got the opportunity to bowl against Subash Khakurel – who made history as Nepal’s first half-centurion in the T20 World Cup 2014. This marked the beginning of a remarkable journey for the young Surya.
With the support and coordination of former captain Gyanendra Malla, Surya was granted a scholarship to train at the Kathmandu Cricket Training Center (KCTC). This opportunity allowed him to further develop his skills and enhance his cricketing abilities.
U16 Level
Surya Tamang was part of the ACC U16 Eastern Region Tournament 2017’s winning squad. Nepal won the title in Rit Gautam’s captaincy, and Surya ended as the third-highest wicket-taker of the tournament, grabbing nine wickets from just four matches. (Nepal recently completed the hattrick of winning ACC U16 tournament). Tamang was then looked at as an emerging young bowler.
On asked about his cricketing Idol, Surya Tamang revealed India’s Ravindra Jadeja as his icon. He further shared that during his childhood, he would watch Jadeja’s bowling and try to copy that.
U19 Level
Surya Tamang was immediately called into the U19 side. He picked up five wickets from three matches in the 2018 Youth Asia Cup, which was joint highest for Nepal, along with Rashid Khan. He was with the team at U19 Asia Cup 2019 and ICC U19 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2019.
Despite consistently contributing to the team’s success, Surya Tamang’s impressive U19 records often appeared to be overshadowed by a particularly outstanding performance from other players.
Domestic Cricket
After recognizing his potential, the APF club signed Surya Tamang. However, later he opted to play for Bagmati Province for more match exposure.
Tamang has the experience of playing Everest Premier League (EPL), Dhangadhi Premier League (DPL), and Pokhara Premier League (PPL). Moreover, He was sensational throughout the inaugural Nepal T20 League and was honoured as an emerging player of the tournament. The youngster had the best economy and average by any bowler ( to have played at least five matches).
National Team
He was first called into the squad for CWC League 2 Tri-Series against Scotland and Namibia in February. The spinner didn’t get any matches and was not included in the next couple of series. He was on the reserve player list in the ACC Premier Cup.
The Southpaw is once again called back into the squad for ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup.
“Yeah, obviously feels great to represent the nation. Being with the best players of the country helps and motivates me a lot”, Surya said to Cricnepal. He also mentioned that the team’s determined approach towards overcoming challenges has further inspired him to perform at his best.
