Kushal Bhurtel (Nepali: कुशल भुर्तेल; born 22 January 1997) is a Nepalese cricketer who plays for the Nepal national cricket team. An all-rounder, he is a right-handed opening batsman and a leg-break bowler, and has represented Nepal in both One Day Internationals (ODIs) and Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is) since 2021.
| Full name | Kushal Bhurtel |
|---|---|
| Born | 22 January 1997 |
| Nationality | Nepalese |
| Batting | Right-handed (opening batsman) |
| Bowling | Right-arm leg-break |
| Role | All-rounder |
| International debut | 2020–21 Nepal Tri-Nation Series |
| National team | Nepal |
Bhurtel first came to prominence at the youth level, representing Nepal at the 2016 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. After the tournament, he spent several years on the periphery of Nepal's senior team before earning a full international call-up.
Bhurtel made his international debut for Nepal during the 2020–21 Nepal Tri-Nation Series. In a notable beginning to his T20I career, he scored half-centuries in each of his first three matches, becoming the first player in the history of Twenty20 International cricket to achieve this feat.
He was named in Nepal's squad for both the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup and the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, marking him as a regular feature in Nepal's white-ball plans.
In May 2026, Bhurtel became the sixth player overall, and the second from Nepal, to hit six consecutive sixes in a single over in T20I cricket. He achieved the feat against China during the Asian Games – Men's Qualifier.
Bhurtel's emergence has coincided with Nepal's growing presence in international cricket. His record of three consecutive half-centuries to begin a T20I career, his appearances at successive ICC T20 World Cups, and his six-sixes-in-an-over feat have established him as one of the prominent figures in Nepalese cricket of his generation.