Hikmat Mahara is a Nepali fast bowler born on 15 November 2003 in Baitadi. He was discovered through Sudurpaschim Royals' 2025 talent hunt after winning the franchise's "Beat the Speed" trial with a top speed of 131 km/h, earning an Icon Player contract for the Nepal Premier League. He has not yet made his international debut for Nepal.

Career Highlights

Key numbers

Top Speed (Trial)
131 km/h
Reported Net Speed
142 km/h
NPL Contract
Icon Player (1L)
NPL 2025 Wickets
1
NPL 2025 Economy
11.33
NPL 2025 Matches
2
Status (2026)
Retained
International Debut
None

Hikmat Mahara's journey is one of the most unique in Nepali cricket. Instead of progressing through the traditional age-group system, he earned his professional opportunity through an open talent search and quickly gained attention for his raw pace. Since joining the Royals, he has continued to impress in training with even higher bowling speeds, making him one of Nepal's most exciting fast-bowling prospects ahead of NPL Season 3 (2026).

Player Profile

Full NameHikmat Mahara
NicknameReferred to in Nepali media as a "speed star" / "pace sensation"
Date of Birth15 November 2003
Age22 years (as of July 2026)
BirthplaceBaitadi, Nepal
NationalityNepali
HeightNot publicly available
Batting StyleRight-hand bat (lower order)
Bowling StyleRight-arm medium-fast
Playing RoleAll-rounder (bowling-focused)
Current TeamSudurpaschim Royals (NPL); Baitadi Blue (domestic)

Cricket Career

Playing Style

Hikmat Mahara's defining trait is raw pace. He first drew attention by clocking 131 km/h to win Sudurpaschim Royals' "Beat the Speed" competition during their 2025 talent hunt, and has since been filmed bowling at speeds reported as high as 142 km/h in subsequent trials and net sessions — figures that would make him one of the quickest bowlers in Nepali domestic cricket if consistently replicated in match conditions.

He bats right-handed in the lower order, though he is not regarded as a specialist batter — his value to Sudurpaschim Royals is almost entirely with the ball. According to a Kathmandu Post report on NPL Season 3 retentions, Mahara was not used as a regular in the Royals' 2025 playing XI, but his retention for the 2026 season was read as a signal that the coaching staff plan to give him a bigger bowling role going forward.

Early Career

Before joining the Nepal Premier League, Hikmat Mahara played domestic cricket in Nepal's far-western region, representing sides including Baitadi Blue and a Ghodaghodi Municipality team. His path to a wider audience came through Sudurpaschim Royals' 2025 talent hunt at the Dhangadhi Cricket Academy, where nearly 300 hopefuls were assessed by a coaching team led by Jagat Tamata across two selection phases.

Domestic Career

Mahara continues to represent Baitadi-based domestic teams alongside his NPL commitments. Public statistical trackers currently show only limited domestic figures for him — the Cricket Association of Nepal's own database lists a small sample of matches, reflecting his status as a recently emerged player rather than an established domestic veteran.

International Career

As of July 2026, Hikmat Mahara has not represented the Nepal senior national team in any format. He does not currently appear on ESPNcricinfo's list of Nepal's ODI or T20I cap-holders, and no international debut has been publicly reported for him.

Franchise Career (Nepal Premier League)

Hikmat Mahara's franchise career began and remains centred on Sudurpaschim Royals. He earned his spot through the "Icon Player" pathway — a fixed-contract route under NPL rules that lets a franchise sign one standout, uncapped local player from an open talent hunt, separate from the standard mini-auction. He made his NPL debut for the Royals in the 2025 season and picked up a wicket in that debut appearance, though his overall game time was limited.

Sudurpaschim Royals retained Hikmat Mahara heading into NPL Season 3 (2026), alongside fellow bowlers Abinash Bohara and Hemant Dhami. Reporting around the retention specifically noted that neither Dhami nor Mahara were used as regulars during the 2025 campaign, but that keeping both suggested Sudurpaschim intended to lean on them more heavily in the next season.

Captaincy Record

There is no publicly recorded leadership role associated with Hikmat Mahara at any level.

Career Timeline

Pre-2025 — Plays domestic cricket for Baitadi-based teams in Nepal's far-western region.

November 2025 — Wins Sudurpaschim Royals' "Beat the Speed" talent-hunt trial with a 131 km/h delivery, earning the franchise's Icon Player slot for NPL Season 2.

November–December 2025 — Makes his NPL debut for Sudurpaschim Royals, taking a wicket in his first appearance.

December 2025 — Sudurpaschim Royals finish runners-up in the 2025 NPL final.

June 2026 — Retained by Sudurpaschim Royals ahead of NPL Season 3, with reports suggesting an expanded bowling role.

Salary & Auction

NPL 2025 (Icon Player)Sudurpaschim Royals — Rs 100,000 (fixed Icon Player contract per NPL rules)
NPL 2026 (Season 3)Sudurpaschim Royals — retained; retention fee not publicly disclosed
Auction HistoryNot applicable — signed via Icon Player talent-hunt scheme, not standard NPL auction
Net WorthNot publicly disclosed

Under NPL player recruitment rules, teams are required to offer a fixed Rs 100,000 contract to their chosen local Icon Player identified through a talent hunt — which is how Sudurpaschim Royals signed Mahara ahead of the 2025 season.

NPL Stats

SeasonTeamMatchesRunsHSAverageWicketsBest Bowling
NPL 2025 (Season 2)Sudurpaschim Royals2011-wicket haul on debut (exact figures not published)
NPL 2026 (Season 3)Sudurpaschim RoyalsSeason runs 17 Nov – 13 Dec 2026

Career Statistics

T20I Career

FormatMatInnsRunsHSAvgSR100s50sWktsBestEconCatches
NPL / Domestic T202Not aggregated0N/AN/A001Not published11.33Not publicly tabulated

ODI Career

FormatMatInnsRunsHSAvgSR100s50sWktsBestEconCatches
International000N/AN/A000N/AN/A0

NPL 2025 figures (2 matches, 1 wicket, economy 11.33) come from the Cricket Association of Nepal player database and represent his complete game time in his debut season. No List A, ODI, T20I, or Test appearances on record.

NPL Records & Achievements

  • Winner of Sudurpaschim Royals' "Beat the Speed" talent-hunt competition (131 km/h), earning the franchise's Icon Player slot for NPL 2025
  • Subsequently filmed bowling at speeds reported up to 142 km/h in later trials
  • Took a wicket on NPL debut in the 2025 season
  • Retained by Sudurpaschim Royals for NPL Season 3 (2026)

Latest News

June 2026

Sudurpaschim Royals confirmed Hikmat Mahara among their retained players for NPL Season 3, with reports suggesting he is set for a larger bowling role after limited game time in 2025.

Late 2025 / early 2026

Footage and reports of Mahara bowling at speeds up to 142 km/h circulated widely in Nepali cricket media, building his reputation as an emerging pace prospect beyond his original talent-hunt result.

November 2025

Selected as Sudurpaschim Royals' Icon Player after topping the "Beat the Speed" trial at the franchise's talent hunt in Dhangadhi.

Frequently Asked Questions