The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player. As in other sports, the captain is usually an experienced cricketer with good communication skills, who is likely to be one of the most regular members of the team; indeed the captain often has a say in team selection. Before the game the captains toss for innings. During the match the captain decides the team's batting order, who will bowl each over, and where each fielder will be positioned. While the captain has the final say, decisions are often collaborative. A captain's knowledge of the complexities of cricket strategy and tactics, and shrewdness in the field, may contribute significantly to the team's success.

Due to the smaller coaching/management role played out by support staff, as well as the need for greater on-field decision-making, the captain of a cricket team typically shoulders more responsibility for results than captains of other sports.

Captain may refer to:

Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on a field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the runs scored by the batting team. A run is scored by the striking batsman hitting the ball with his bat, running to the opposite end of the pitch and touching the crease there without being dismissed. The teams switch between batting and fielding at the end of an innings.

In professional cricket the length of a game ranges from 20 overs of six bowling deliveries per side to Test cricket played over five days. The Laws of Cricket are maintained by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) with additional Standard Playing Conditions for Test matches and One Day Internationals.

Cricket was first played in southern England in the 16th century. By the end of the 18th century, it had developed into the national sport of England. The expansion of the British Empire led to cricket being played overseas and by the mid-19th century the first international matches were being held. The ICC, the game's governing body, has ten full members. The game is played particularly in Australasia, the Indian subcontinent, the West Indies, Southern Africa and England.

Paras Khadka (Nepali: पारस खडका Pāras Khaḍkā, born 24 October 1987) is a Nepalese cricketer. A right-handed batsman and right-arm medium-fast bowler, he has played for the Nepal national cricket team since 2004. He led Nepal to win the 2010 ICC World Cricket League Division Five and get promoted to 2010 ICC World Cricket League Division Four.

Born in Nepal in 1987, Paras Kadka first represented Nepal at the Under-15 level when he played in the Under-15 Asia Cup in the United Arab Emirates in December 2002. He played for the Under-19s the following year, playing once against India Under-19s and in the Youth Asia Cup in Karachi.

In 2004, after playing in the ACC Under-17 Cup in India, he played in his first Under-19 World Cup in Bangladesh. He also made his début for the senior side this year when he played against Malaysia in the 2004 ICC Intercontinental Cup, also his first-class début.

Later in the year, he played in the ACC Trophy in Kuala Lumpur in addition to ACC Fast Track Countries Tournament matches against Singapore, the UAE and Hong Kong. In early 2005, he played in the repêchage tournament of the 2005 ICC Trophy, in which Nepal finished third after beating Qatar in a play-off.

Angelo Davis Mathews (born 2 June 1987) is a Sri Lankan cricketer. Like Chaminda Vaas he had his formal education in St. Joseph's College, Colombo. Born in Colombo, he captained the Sri Lankan cricket team team in the 2006 U-19 Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka.

He made his international debut in a One Day International against Zimbabwe in November 2008.

In the Indian Premier League, he originally played for the Kolkata Knight Riders team. In the fourth season of the Indian Premier League, he was contracted by Sahara Pune Warriors for US$950,000. He was ruled out of IPL, for up to 8 weeks, due to injury sustained during the 2011 Cricket World Cup.

In November 2010, he was named 'Personality of the Year' by Living Magazine in Sri Lanka.

After Kumar Sangakkara stepped down as captain following the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, Mathews was widely tipped to be Sri Lanka's next captain.

Mathews has been praised by Sangakarra to having good leadership qualities; Sangakarra had also tipped him to take over as captain after his resignation. Dilshan was later named as captain. However, Mathews was strangely overlooked as vice captain, with the selectors naming Thilina Kandamby, who had not played for Sri Lanka regularly or for a prolonged period as vice captain for Sri Lanka's 2011 ODI and T20 tour of England. But the move backfired on Duleep Mendis's selection panel, when Kandamby fared miserably with the bat, forcing them to drop the new vice captain. At the end of July 2011, Mathews was named as Dilshan's vice-captain. He was retained in the role after Dilshan resigned and was replaced by Mahela Jayawardene in January 2012.