Karan KC

Karan K.C. (करण के.सी., born 10 October 1991) is a Nepalese professional cricketer. He was one of the eleven cricketers to play in Nepal's first ever One Day International (ODI) match, against the Netherlands in August 2018. Karan is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm fast-medium bowler. He made his debut against Uganda in January 2015.

Karan guided Nepal to a one-wicket victory against Canada in the final match of the 2018 ICC World Cricket League Division Two in Windhoek, Namibia, on 14 February 2018. The victory ensured Nepal a berth for the 2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifier to be held in March in Zimbabwe.

He represents Region No. 8 Pokhara in the National League, Panchakanya Tej of the Everest Premier League, and Pentagon International College in the SPA Cup. He represented Panchakanya Tej in the Everest Premier League, 2016.

Playing career
Karan was born in Baglung, Nepal and brought up in Chandigarh, India. He represented Panchakanya Tej in the 2014 Nepal Premier League, where he picked up 10 wickets in 7 matches, at an average of 13.40.

He was selected in the 18-man preliminary squad for the 2014 ICC World Cricket League Division Three but did not make it to the playing eleven. Subsequently, he and his teammate Aarif Sheikh were sent to India in September 2014 for a 10-day training camp at Just Cricket Academy in Bangalore.

He was part of the team that toured Sri Lanka in November 2014 where he played two, three-day matches against Sri Lanka Cricket Combined XI.

He made his List A debut in the 2015 ICC World Cricket League Division Two in Namibia in January 2015. Playing his first tournament for Nepal, he picked up 9 wickets in 6 matches at an average of 15.88 and an economy rate of 3.31, including a five-wicket haul against Canada, which are the best bowling figures by a Nepalese bowler in the List A format.

He made his Twenty20 International debut against the Netherlands on 30 June 2015.

Karan scored 42 runs not out in the must-win match against Canada, helping Nepal win the match off the last ball and qualify for the 2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifier.

In July 2018, Karan was named in Nepal's squad for their One Day International (ODI) series against the Netherlands. These were Nepal's first ODI matches since gaining ODI status during the 2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifier. He made his ODI debut for Nepal against the Netherlands on 1 August 2018.

In August 2018, he was named in Nepal's squad for the 2018 Asia Cup Qualifier tournament. In October of the same year, he was named in Nepal's squad for the Eastern sub-regional group in the 2018–19 ICC World Twenty20 Asia Qualifier tournament. In June 2019, he was named in Nepal's squad for the Regional Finals of the 2018–19 ICC T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier tournament. In September 2019, he was named in both Nepal's squad for the 2019–20 Singapore Tri-Nation Series and 2019–20 Oman Pentangular Series. In the match against Netherlands in the Pentangular Series, he took 4 wickets for 17 runs, and played a match-winning knock of 31 not out.

He made his first-class debut on 6 November 2019, for Nepal against the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), during the MCC's tour of Nepal. Later the same month, he was named in Nepal's squads for the 2019 ACC Emerging Teams Asia Cup in Bangladesh, and for the cricket tournament at the 2019 South Asian Games. The Nepal team won the bronze medal, after they beat the Maldives by five wickets in the third-place playoff match. In September 2020, he was one of eighteen cricketers awarded a central contract by the Cricket Association of Nepal.

In May 2024, he was named in Nepal's squad for the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup tournament.

Records and milestones
ODI


 * 6th most wickets in a series – 50 (ICC Men's cricket world cup League 2 2019–2023)

T20I


 * 6th outstanding bowling analysis for 2 wicket-haul in an inning – 2/1 against Mongolia
 * 7th Best economy rate in an inning – 0.50 against Mongolia
 * 9th most 4+ wickets in an inning in career – 4
 * Most consecutive 4+ wickets in an inning – 2
 * 2nd Most wickets taken by hit wicket – 1
 * 2nd Most Maidens in an inning – 2 overs