Whenever Nepali fans hear the name Sharad Vesawkar, they instantly recall that unforgettable final over against Hong Kong, when he finished the game and took Nepal to the T20 World Cup for the first time. Nepal needed 13 runs off the last over. Sharad struck a six and a four off the first two deliveries, and even then, it took a sneaky single off the final ball to take his team over the line.

In the same Qualifier, he blasted three sixes in the final over against Kenya when Nepal needed 17 runs off the last six balls while chasing 183. Ironically, Sharad thought he had lost the game earlier after leaking 30 runs from his only over during Kenya’s innings. In the third-place playoff match, he once again took Nepal home — this time with two consecutive sixes when 10 runs were needed off the final over. You can still watch those finishes on YouTube and feel the goosebumps. Since then, the legend of Sharad — the finisher — was born.

Early Days in His Career

But it wasn’t always a smooth ride for Sharad. He once thought of prioritizing his studies over cricket after failing to get picked for age-group national teams. Born and raised in the UAE, he moved to Nepal at the age of seven. Once opportunities came his way, he made an immediate impact.

Sharad showcased his talent at just 14 during a U-15 Asia Cup match against India in 2002. Nepal were chasing 186 in a 40-over game. At the halfway mark, Nepal were 88–2 in 21 overs, but after Sharad’s dismissal for a brilliant 78 (93), Nepal collapsed to 158 all out, losing by 27 runs. In the same tournament, he made a century against Qatar, becoming the first and only Nepali batter to score a hundred in U-15 cricket.

A year later, he played in the Youth Asia Cup, the qualifying tournament for the next year’s U-19 World Cup. His rise continued with a fighting 49 against India in the 2004 U-17 Asia Cup in Bangalore against the likes of Piyush Chawla, Ravichandran Ashwin, and Shahbaz Nadeem. A month later, he was representing Nepal in the U-19 World Cup, top-scoring with 82 against England, whose lineup featured future internationals like Tim Bresnan, Liam Plunkett, Samit Patel, Alastair Cook, Ravi Bopara, Steven Davies, and Luke Wright. Sharad was Nepal’s top run-scorer in the tournament with two fifties.

By March of that same year, he had already made his senior debut in a first-class match against the UAE in Sharjah, where he scored an unbeaten fifty in the second innings — all before turning 16. Reflecting on playing against Test nations, he said he always believed he could score runs against them, especially after Nepal’s U-19s had defeated Pakistan and Bangladesh in the 2002 World Cup.

He was also part of Nepal’s U-19 team that defeated South Africa and New Zealand to win the Plate Championship in 2006 U-19 WC, one of the greatest achievements in Nepal’s cricket history. Sharad was the team’s second-highest run-scorer behind Kanishka Chaugai.

However, Sharad also battled migraine issues, which made it difficult to spend long hours on the field. Sometimes he needed painkillers or rest to get through matches — another reminder of the struggles he faced. He believes he could even better player if he didn’t have migraine.

Highs and Lows

Sharad’s only international century came in 2010, during a WCL Division Five match against Fiji at TU Ground. Ironically, he wasn’t part of the initial squad — he joined only after Paresh Lohani withdrew for personal reasons. His hundred was the third by a Nepali batter in international cricket and the first in five years, following centuries from Shakti Gauchan (against Italy) in 2005 and Raju Khadka (against Bhutan) in 2003.

Later that year, he played another memorable innings — unbeaten 97 off 66 balls against Malaysia in the ACC Trophy Elite semi-final, helping Nepal win a thriller by 8 runs. Sharad also had a decent outing in the 2014 WT20, where he was Nepal’s leading run-scorer with 91 runs in three innings. Nepal failed to advance to the next round but defeated Hong Kong and Afghanistan in their group matches.

In a career that spanned nearly two decades, he experienced both the highs and lows of Nepali cricket. He was there when Nepal lifted several division league titles and also when they suffered shocking defeats, like the one against Tanzania while chasing just 118 in Division Four. He was also there when Nepal defeated Afghanistan after 10 long years, this time on the World Cup stage. Along with Paras Khadka and Shakti Gauchan, Sharad was one of only three players who featured in both the 2004 and 2014 sides that beat Afghanistan.

He was part of the first ODI that was played against Netherlands in Netherlands in 2018. Later, he also played in Nepal’s first home ODI in 2020. Sadly, Nepal lost both matches after failing to chase less than 200.

The Making of “Sharad the Finisher”

When Pubudu Dassanayake took over as coach in 2011, he hadn’t seen much of Sharad. Initially, Pubudu told him that he wasn’t in the plans for the T20 setup and should focus on the longer format. Sharad was disappointed — he had always been a top-order batter. But over time, he reinvented himself.

He was at the crease when Shakti Gauchan smashed a six with Nepal needing 10 runs off the final three balls against the UAE in the 2013 ACC Trophy Elite final. Sharad remained unbeaten on 38, as the match ended in a tie and both sides shared the title. Later that year, he struck an unbeaten fifty against Uganda in the final, helping Nepal lift the Division Three title.

Three years later, Nepali fans at home saw Sharad score an unbeaten 50 and 74 in consecutive matches as Nepal defeated Namibia twice. Yet, the spotlight went to Binod Bhandari and Paras Khadka for their explosive hitting — Binod’s 3 sixes in a 49-ball 40 and Paras’s 7 sixes in a 103-run knock. That series is also remembered for the debuts of Raju Rijal and Sandeep Lamichhane.

In 2021, Sharad reminded fans of his old magic — hitting a last-ball six for Bhairahawa Gladiators when 7 runs were needed off the final ball against Lalitpur Patriots. It was the only ball he faced in the innings, instantly evoking memories of his classic finishes from the past.

While Sharad himself laments not scoring more runs across formats, he often highlights the lack of infrastructure and exposure during his time. Comparing older-generation players purely on statistics is unfair — Nepal rarely played more than two international series a year before 2018. Every tournament carried qualification pressure.

After Nepal earned ODI status in 2018, the team began playing regularly, thanks to 36 League-2 matches, tri-series, and bilateral games. Though Sharad’s career spanned from 2004 to 2022, injuries and loss of form limited his appearances after 2018. He briefly returned in 2022 after almost three years, but an ankle injury ruled him out of the T20 World Cup Qualifier in Oman.

It’s a pity that he played only four ODIs, with just one fifty, despite scoring fifties on both his first-class and List-A debuts. Ironically, the format where he built his reputation — T20 — never saw him cross fifty.

The Pillar of a Generation

For someone who played when cricket in Nepal was far from professional, Sharad and his generation deserve immense credit. They played for years with limited facilities and meager allowances — at times just Rs. 25 per day. In 2015, when CAN introduced central contracts, Sharad was among the six Grade-A players, earning Rs. 35,000 per month, while other grades received Rs. 25,000, Rs. 10,000, and Rs. 5,000. That recognition came 11 years after his debut — a testament to his perseverance.

Leadership and Mentorship

Sharad is widely respected as a mentor and leader. Many current national players made their domestic debuts under his captaincy. In the inaugural Everest Premier League (2016), he led Panchakanya Tej to the title. Players like Aasif Sheikh, Dipendra Airee, and Kushal Bhurtel all debuted under him. Aasif made headlines with a 64-ball 111 in the final against Colors X-Factors, led by Gyanendra Malla. Later, Sharad also mentored Rohit Paudel and Kushal Malla while leading Bhairahawa Gladiators.

He remains one of the most successful captains in Nepal’s domestic circuit, with multiple franchise and departmental titles. When asked if he would have accepted Nepal’s national captaincy, he humbly said he wouldn’t have — even if offered.

Sharad ended his Nepal journey at the Hong Kong Sixes Tournament, though it wasn’t the fairytale finish fans hoped for. Nepal finished near the bottom, just above India. Sharad batted only once, scoring 1 off 3 balls against Sri Lanka.

Always a team man, he even turned down the captaincy offer from Chitwan Rhinos, choosing instead to mentor Kushal Malla, whom he had discovered during a Bhairahawa Gladiators talent hunt in 2018.

Today, Sharad calls himself a freelancer, juggling commentary and coaching duties, but he still enjoys playing domestic cricket and guiding young talents.

Legacy

Nepal cricket is blessed to have had a player like Sharad Vesawkar — a cricketer who adapted, evolved, and performed when his team needed him most. From being an elegant top-order batter to a reliable finisher, Sharad’s journey mirrors the resilience of Nepali cricket itself.

He continues to serve the game, ready to contribute in any role — much like his contemporaries Paras Khadka, Gyanendra Malla, Shakti Gauchan, and Binod Das. And who knows — perhaps one day, Sharad will help Nepal discover the next great finisher, so fans can finally relax during those nail-biting final overs.