NEW DELHI: Dipendra Singh Airee, a 24-year-old policeman from Nepal, is known as "The Tiger" for his exceptional batting skills. He hopes to use his talent to elevate his country's performance at the T20 World Cup.
In September, Airee played a crucial role in Nepal's record-breaking victory against Mongolia by 273 runs, the biggest margin in T20 history. He achieved the fastest T20 fifty in just nine balls, surpassing the previous record of 12 balls by hitting sixes from each of the first six deliveries he faced.
In April, Airee became the third player to hit six sixes in a single over in a T20 international match against Qatar. Apart from his batting prowess, he is also an outstanding fielder, making remarkable catches and run-outs.
Airee is determined to give his best performance to make his nation proud. "I will do my best to play a role to make the team victorious. They call me by the name 'tiger' and that motivates me further. It makes me want to do as much as possible, to give my 110 percent," he told Kantipur Television.
Nepal's chief selector, Dipendra Chaudhary, believes that Airee's off-spin bowling is among the finest, and his fitness, work ethic, and team spirit make him stand out. Chaudhary stated, "His off-spin bowling is among the finest. His fitness, work ethic, and team spirit stand out. I believe when we look back he will be counted as one of Nepal's best players in history."
Airee, who is humble and media-shy, first played in the 2016 Under-19 World Cup.
The T20 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States and West Indies, begins on Saturday, with Nepal's first game scheduled for June 4 in Dallas. Although other teams are considered better than Nepal, Chaudhary hopes for good games and a strong performance from his team.
Nepal's preparation for the tournament was overshadowed by the controversy surrounding star player Sandeep Lamichhane, who was denied a US visa due to a rape conviction in 2022, which was later quashed on appeal. Nepal will play their first two group games in the United States, followed by two in the West Indies.
Chaudhary emphasizes that more than winning or losing, the focus is on playing good cricket, asserting, "In the future, that will help us have big nations come and play on our turf or invite us. That will be the biggest win."
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