[Watch] “Gabbar is here” - Shikhar Dhawan gets a hero's welcome by Karnali Yaks ahead of Nepal Premier League

Former India cricketer Shikhar Dhawan received a rousing reception from Karnali Yaks and fans ahead of the Nepal Premier League (NPL). The erstwhile Punjab Kings captain will represent the aforementioned franchise in the upcoming inaugural 2024 season of the T20 tournament.

In a video shared by Karnali Yaks on Saturday (November 30), Dhawan can be seen getting a hero’s welcome from the fans as he stepped out of the car outside the team hotel. The franchise captioned the Instagram post:

“The wait is over – Shikhar Dhawan 'Gabbar,' is here! Get ready for power-packed performances as he joins Karnali Yaks for an unforgettable season of the Nepal Premier League. Let’s bring the trophy home together!”

In the clip, Dhawan said:

“Namaste Nepal mai aa chuka hoon aur aap logon se jald hi milonga.”

English translated version:

“Hello Nepal, I have arrived and will meet you (the fans) soon.”

Watch the video below:

Dhawan will be seen in action when Karnali Yaks begins their Nepal Premier League campaign against Janakpur Bolts in Kirtipur on Monday, December 2. The eight-team tournament began on November 30 and will continue till December 21. The playoff fixtures will be played on December 18 and 19.

Karnali Yaks squad: Sompal Kami, Gulshan Kumar Jha, Nandan Yadav, Mausam Dhakal, Arjun Gharti, Dev Khanal, Rit Gautam, Bhuban Karki, Dipendra Rawat, Dipak Dumre, Unish Bikram Singh Thakuri, Shikhar Dhawan, Chadwick Walton, Babar Hayat, Hussain Talat.

Shikhar Dhawan’s career in numbers

Shikhar Dhawan is one of the successful openers for India in white-ball cricket. The southpaw has played 34 Tests, 167 ODIs, and 68 T20Is, amassing 10,867 runs across formats, including 24 tons and 55 half-centuries. Besides representing India at the 2015 and the 2019 ODI World Cups, he won the 2013 ICC Champions Trophy with the Men in Blue.

Apart from international cricket, Dhawan is the second-highest run-getter in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The 38-year-old has 6769 runs in 222 matches, including two centuries and 51 half-centuries. He is only behind Virat Kohli (8,004 in 244 innings) in the list. Dhawan needs 203 runs to complete 10,000 runs in the T20 format. He has 9,797 runs in 331 innings.