Mahendranagar (Kanchanpur), 13th Ashoj: Cricketer Bhim Sarki‘s father, Buba Veer Bhanal, earned a living by working on Sahujan’s land in Bhimdatt Municipality-4, Kanchanpur, for more than three decades. In addition to supporting his own Dalit family, he also leased 15 katthas of land for farming in the last two years. Bhim, who has four brothers and one sister, has now taken up farming on the same land that he previously rented, thanks to the income he earned from cricket, particularly after gaining recognition and financial rewards.
“While it is important to have a significant player in the cricket team, Bhim is the pillar of our family,” expressed Buba Veer Bhanal with happiness. He continued, “Seeing his progress in the game makes our family proud. However, the situation of leasing land to make a living still prevails.”
“From repaying loans to making a living, it’s a continuous struggle,” he said. “But thanks to cricket, Bhim’s earnings have brought joy to our otherwise troubled lives.”
Bhim started playing cricket in Mahendranagar, from where he participated in various international competitions representing the Nepali team. This time, he didn’t make it to the team in the 19th Asian Games, but he has shown excellent performances at many international levels. The medals and certificates that Bhim has earned are proudly displayed in Buba Veer Bhanal’s house.
“His dedication to cricket has not only helped him excel but also brought recognition to our family,” Buba Veer Bhanal said, pointing at the collection. He further added, “Even when he was playing for the national team, Bhim’s success story began when he was selected as a ticket collector for the Cricket World Cup in Kathmandu.”
Bhim started his journey in cricket while studying in grade 5, and since then, he has been passionate about the sport. Bhim cleared his School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examinations from Sunrise Higher Secondary School and then pursued cricket seriously.
“Sunrise was where Bhim started to rise in cricket,” said Buba Veer Bhanal. “Even while studying, he wanted to play in many places.”
Bhim also comes from a family with a cricket background, as his elder brother Vinod used to be a cricketer as well. However, following Vinod’s advice, Bhim ventured into foreign employment in Malaysia, while his younger brother Karnal was sent to Dubai.
“After coming back from abroad, Bhim was stuck in a rickshaw business, and he lost around 1.5 to 2 million Nepali rupees,” he said. “But Bhim earned around 9 to 10 lakhs through cricket, which brought relief to the family.”
Buba Veer Bhanal, who runs a rickshaw dealership, continues to support Bhim in his cricket endeavors. Deependra Singh Airee, Bhim Sarki, Vinod Bhandari, and Sandeep Jora, who are cricketers from Kanchanpur’s cricket foundation, highlight the importance of supporting cricket at the grassroots level.
Despite the recent budget allocation for the construction of a cricket field within the Kothari area, the necessary funds have not been disbursed, and the progress has been slow.
“At all times, cricket activities at various levels are continuously ongoing,” he said. “With the government’s focus on infrastructure development, they should also consider nurturing talented players in Kanchanpur.”
It is clear that despite the obstacles, Bhim’s dedication and hard work in cricket have not only brought him personal success but have also brought recognition to his family and the cricketing community of Kanchanpur. –––
Bhim Sharki Career Stats
Batting & Fielding
FORMAT Mat Inns NO Runs HS Ave BF SR 100s 50s 4s 6s Ct St
ODIs 18 16 2 459 77* 32.78 685 67.00 0 3 42 4 4 0
List A 20 18 2 463 77* 28.93 697 66.42 0 3 43 4 4 0
T20s 2 – – – – – – – – – – – 1 0
Bowling
FORMAT Mat Inns Balls Runs Wkts BBI BBM Ave Econ SR 4w 5w 10w
ODIs 18 1 6 8 0 – – – 8.00 – 0 0 0
List A 20 1 6 8 0 – – – 8.00 – 0 0 0
T20s 2 – – – – – – – – – – – –
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