[Watch] Shikhar Dhawan celebrates his 39th birthday with Karnali Yaks teammates

Former Team India opener Shikhar Dhawan celebrated his 39th birthday with his teammates at Karnali Yaks on Thursday, December 5. The veteran cricketer is currently in Nepal, participating in the inaugural edition of the Nepal Cricket League.

Dhawan was born on December 5 in Delhi to a Punjabi family. He was introduced to cricket very early in his life and is a graduate of the iconic Sonnet Club under the guidance of Tarak Sinha.

The left-handed batter, who is known to rise during crunch games, announced his retirement from international and domestic cricket earlier this year. He represented India for over 12 years, playing 34 Tests, 167 ODIs, and 68 T20Is, scoring 10,867 runs. The highest point in his career was the 2013 Champions Trophy, where he helped the Men in Blue lift the title by scoring 363 runs at an average of 90.75.

On his first birthday after international retirement, Shikhar Dhawan celebrated the day with his Karnali teammates, cutting cakes and sharing laughs. Sharing a few videos from the cake-cutting ceremony, he wrote on Instagram:

"Here’s to another year of unforgettable moments with the best people and fans by my side! Grateful, blessed, and beyond excited for what’s next. Let’s do this! ❤️😉🤗."

Dhawan's former teammate Yuvraj Singh commented on the post to wish the former a happy birthday.

"Happy birthday jatt ji 🔥❤️," Yuvraj wrote.

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Shikhar Dhawan shines in his second game in NCL 2024

Following his international and domestic retirement, Shikhar Dhawan is currently plying trade for the Karnali Yaks in the Nepal Cricket League 2024.

He had an ordinary start to his stint in Nepal, scoring a run-a-ball 14 against the Janakpur Bolts. The Yaks also lost the game as they failed to defend 141 runs, losing the game by eight wickets.

However, Dhawan bounced back soon after, scoring an unbeaten 72 off 51 balls, including four boundaries and five sixes. His knock went in vain, though, as the Kathmandu Gurkhas chased down 150 runs with three balls to spare.