The 20-year-old Kamal Singh Airee was part of Nepal’s U-19 cricket team which defeated India in 2017 during the ACC Under-19 Asia Cup in November. In January 2020, he earned his first call-up to the national side, for the One Day International (ODI) tri-series in Nepal. He made his ODI debut for Nepal, against Oman, on 9 February 2020.

 

Similarly, he made an instant impact on his T20I debut scalping a 3-wicket-haul against Malaysia on April 22, 2021. He followed up with a two-wicket-haul against the Netherlands in the very next match in the final of the tri-series. As evident, he is here to stay.

 

The right-arm fast bowler is known for his control and swing with the ball whereas smacking them big and long with the bat.

 

He became third Airee from his family to have played for Nepal national cricket team. Pradeep Airee who represented Nepal in the ICC World T20 in 2014 set the benchmark for the younger siblings coming through. Then Dipendra Singh Airee rose to become vice-captain in 2019 of the National cricket team after successfully captaining the U-19 national cricket side. Kamal credits his two elder siblings (cousins) as the source of inspiration and motivation for falling in love with cricket.

 

Kamal is reputed as a prankster in the team. He was bothered by back and knee injuries which he had to overcome after many months of rest and recovery before improving gradually to make it to the national team.

 

From being a rookie to main bowler of Chitwan Tigers, Kamal has a big season coming up for him where he can finally establish himself as one of the leading pace bowlers of the country under the ideal role-model Sompal Kami. He, so far, has picked up 6 wickets in eight matches for Tigers in the Everest Premier League.

 

As Kamal recalls

 

Baitadi always has been a happening place for cricket. I first played cricket for JAYC Cricket Club in Baitadi. After my 10th exams, I came to Kathmandu and joined academy. Soon, I represented Region No 6 (Baitadi) in the U-19 national cricket followed by a player-of-the-series performance in senior national cricket tournament. I then made it to the U-19 national cricket team.

 

It was just that I fell in love with fast bowling. People say I can bat too but my sole focus in on bowling, doing well for the teams I represent and win those matches with by bowling. It was in Mahendra Nagar first I tried fast bowling and my seniors and local coaches of academies suggested that I can be a good pace bowler if groomed well. By god’s grace, I went on to play for Nepal for that skill. And I want to make that place permanent in the squad.

 

It was a dream come true when I donned that national colors and made my debut in front of huge home crowd. It was an amazing feeling to represent your nation at such stage. Sharing the knowledge and wisdom with the senior players was once in a lifetime opportunity. I really don’t want it to be a one-off affair and will do everything in my powers to add many more matches in my list. I understand that reaching the peak is easier than staying there. I know that I will have to double the amount of hard-work, dedication it needed to play for Nepal to stay in the team.

 

It always will be a healthy rivalry in the family with three of us, cousins, playing for Nepal. Pradeep dai (Airee) led the way carried by Dipendra dai (Singh Airee) and now, I made the national cricket team debut. So, some time when we sit together, it becomes the topic of discussion that who is doing well all in healthy state of affairs. Nothing comparison as such but I get inspirations and gain motivations from both of them to do better and help make my family proud.

 

My family felt proud and I am happy for that. But the journey has just began. I want to be better cricketer today than I was yesterday.