Stats: Nepal's Rohit Kumar Paudel becomes fourth youngest debutant in ODI history
Away from all the bustle in one of the game's popular outposts, Netherlands are hosting Nepal for a historic ODI series. While the opening match on Wednesday saw the visitors make their first ever appearance in ODIs, the second game on Friday contained another slice of history.
At the VRA Ground in Amstelveen, Nepal's Rohit Kumar Paudel has become the fourth youngest player ever to debut in ODIs. Aged just 15 years and 335 days, the right-handed batsman joined a rare list of remarkably young debutants in the 50-over format at the highest level.
After winning the toss, Nepal skipper Paras Khadka opted to bat first. Despite a reasonably solid start from the openers, a flurry of wickets placed the Netherlands on top. When Dipendra Singh Airee fell in the penultimate ball of the 16th over, Rohit Kumar Paudel walked into bat for the first time in his international career.
Unfortunately for Nepal, Rohit Paudel could only contribute a laborious 15-ball 6 before edging chinaman exponent Michael Rippon to wicket-keeper Scott Edwards. The tourists were eventually bowled out for 216.
Before getting the opportunity to represent his country, Rohit Paudel played just 12 List-A matches and a solitary T20. In fact, he had made his senior domestic debut during February. Even though he might not have made a mark in his maiden ODI appearance, the teenager from Nawalparasi did manage to enter a distinguished club.
Hasan Raza remains the youngest ever cricketer to feature in a men's ODI match. He was just 14 years and 233 days old when Pakistan drafted him into their playing eleven for an encounter against Zimbabwe at Quetta in 1996.
Kenya's Gurdeep Singh and Canada's Nitish Roenick Kumar occupy the second and third spots respectively. While the former was 15 years and 258 days at the time of his ODI debut, the latter was 15 days older when he entered into the limelight.
The aforementioned trio, alongside Rohit Paudel, are the only 15-year olds to play ODI cricket. Pakistan's Aaqib Javed rounds off the top five. The eminently skilled pacer was just 16 years and 127 days old when he rubbed shoulders with the likes of Imran Khan, Abdul Qadir and Javed Miandad in 1988.
Let us take a look at the ten youngest players to debut in ODIs. Sachin Tendulkar, who was 16 years and 238 days at the time of his entry in 1989, is the only Indian cricketer in this list. Not surprisingly, Pakistan have as many as three players in the top ten.
Ten youngest ODI players
#1 Hasan Raza (Pakistan) - 14 years 233 days (1996)
#2 Gurdeep Singh (Kenya) - 15 years 258 days (2013)
#3 Nitish Roenick Kumar (Canada) - 15 years 273 days (2010)
#4 Rohit Kumar Paudel (Nepal) - 15 years 335 days (2018)
#5 Aaqib Javed (Pakistan) - 16 years 127 days (1988)
#6 Yodhin Punja (UAE) - 16 years 206 days (2015)
#7 Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) - 16 years 215 days (1996)
#8 Ramveer Rai (UAE) - 16 years 229 days (2004)
#9 Sachin Tendulkar (India) - 16 years 238 days (1989)
#10 Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan) - 16 years 252 days (2017)
(*Note: All statistics are accurate as of 3rd August, 2018)