Making his debut as a cricketer in 2006, Gyanendra Malla marked a new beginning in Nepali cricket. Even though he aspired to become an army officer while growing up, the invigorating passion for cricket led his way to enter the national cricket team. He was appointed the vice-captain of Nepal National Cricket Team in 2011 and is currently the Chairperson of Kathmandu Cricket Training Center established in 2008. Under his captaincy, Gyanendra has proudly represented Nepal in numerous national and international matches and bagged prestigious awards for the country.

In conversation with My City’s Sonam Lama, Gyanendra revealed five things that many may not know about him.

Nature lover

More than the hustle and bustle of city areas, Gyanendra prefers taking a stroll around rural places that are rich in cultural values and nature. Among a numerous places that he has visited so far, he finds the captivating views of Muktinath and Gosaikunda fascinating. 

Roger Federer fan

Apart from taking Sachin Tendulkar as his cricket idol, he seeks inspiration from tennis player Roger Federer. “I am truly impressed with the determination that he plays with and watching him play tennis gets me inspired and entertained.”

Fond of reading

When it comes to reading, he mostly prefers books that share some kind of motivational stories or are highly recommended. He recently read the biographies of actor Hari Bansha Acharya and cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar. Gyanendra also enjoys reading the works of Chetan Bhagat and Subin Bhattarai, among others.

Folk music lover

For him music is an integral part of life. Be it working out or spending time on his own, he loves tuning to his favorite numbers on a daily basis. “I prefer listening to songs of every genre but folk songs are quite fun because of its playful lyrics and peppy rhythmical beats,” said Malla.

Collects boarding passes

As he frequently travels to different parts of the world in order to represent Nepal in international cricket matches, he has an enormous collection of boarding passes from each of his visits. He has managed to collect over 500 boarding passes until now.