After a long held dream, for the first time in Nepal’s cricket history, a match will be played under floodlights, and parapet seating has been arranged for spectators.
Cricketers will play day-night matches under floodlights, while spectators will sit in proper seats to watch the game. As the second edition of the Siddhartha Bank Nepal Premier League (NPL) begins today, a new chapter in Nepali cricket will unfold.
Players, CAN officials, cricket supporters, and all Nepalis are ready to witness this moment. While the first edition of the NPL was played only during the day, in this edition 23 out of 32 will be played under the floodlights.
On Sunday, the floodlights and parapet were officially handed over to CAN. Now, the defending champions Janakpur Bolts will begin their title defense on Monday against Kathmandu Gorkhas under the floodlights.
Eight franchise teams will compete in this season’s NPL. Here’s a brief look at them:
Janakpur Bolts
Under coach Pubudu Dassanayake, Janakpur won the first season by defeating Sudurpaschim Royals in the final. Their only goal this season is to defend the title.
Janakpur has changed everything from the head coach to the logo for the second edition, but the ambition remains the same; to lift the NPL trophy again.
For the second edition, Janakpur has hired West Indies’ Shivnarine Chanderpaul as the head coach. The core squad from season one has been retained.
Nine players from the first season’s squad are still with the team, including Aasif Sheikh, captain Anil Kumar Shah, Lalit Rajbanshi, Kishore Mahato, Rupesh Singh, Shubham Khakurel, and Tul Bahadur Thapa.
However, New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham, who played a key role in their championship run last season, will not be part of the team this time.
Janakpur has released Sher Malla, Hemant Dhami, Araniko Yadav, and Aakash Tripathi, and signed Mayan Yadav, Sachin Bhatt, Bikash Aagri, and Aditya Mahato from the auction.
Foreign players include South Africans Wayne Parnell and Imran Tahir, Sri Lankans Lahiru Samarakoon and Sangeeth Cooray, Americans Lahiru Milantha and Sanjay Krishnamurthy, and Namibia’s Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton.
Janakpur Squad: Aasif Sheikh, Anil Kumar Shah, Lalit Rajbanshi, Kishore Mahato, Rupesh Singh, Shubham Khakurel, Tul Bahadur Thapa, Mayan Yadav, Sachin Bhatt, Bikash Aagri, Aditya Mahato, Lahiru Milantha, Wayne Parnell, Imran Tahir, Lahiru Samarakoon, Sanjay Krishnamurthy, Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Sangeeth Cooray.
Sudurpaschim Royals
Sudurpaschim will play its second season under the guidance of Jagat Tamata, one of Nepal’s most successful domestic coaches. The team includes national players like Dipendra Singh Airee and Aarif Sheikh, along with experienced names Binod Bhandari, Abinash Bohora, and Ishan Pandey.
They have retained foreign players Scott Kuggeleijn and Harmit Singh from last season, and have signed Australian batters Chris Lynn and Josh Brown.
Sudurpaschim has signed only four foreign players so far, though teams can sign up to six. With these signings, their squad looks balanced.
Lynn will open the innings, supported by Binod Bhandari and Ishan Pandey.
In the middle order are captain Dipendra Singh Airee, Aarif Sheikh, and Josh Brown, with Deepak Bohora and Milan Bohora as options.
In pace bowling, they have last season’s highest wicket-taker Scott Kuggeleijn, along with Abinash Bohora and Hemant Dhami. Talent-hunt recruit Hikmat Mahara is also in the squad.
Spin options include American Harmit Singh and Naren Saud, with captain Dipendra also contributing.
Sudurpaschim Squad: Dipendra Singh Airee, Binod Bhandari, Aarif Sheikh, Ishan Pandey, Abinash Bohora, Naren Saud, Hemant Dhami, Deepak Bohora, Milan Bohora, Dipendra Thapa, Tek Rawat, Hikmat Mahara, Chris Lynn, Josh Brown, Scott Kuggeleijn, Harmit Singh.
Karnali Yaks
Led by Nepal’s most experienced player, Sompal Kami, Karnali won four of their seven league matches last season.
They have retained their core group and continued with head coach Gyanendra Malla.
Retained players include Sompal Kami, Gulshan Jha, Nandan Yadav, Arjun Gharti, Bipin Sharma, Dipendra Rawat, and Yunish Bikram Thakuri.
Karnali has signed all-rounder Pawan Sarraf, spinner Yuvraj Khatri, and bowlers Deepak Dumre and Imran Sheikh from the auction.
Australian all-rounder William Bosisto has been retained after his good performance last season.
Karnali Squad: Sompal Kami, Gulshan Jha, Nandan Yadav, Arjun Gharti, Bipin Sharma, Dipendra Rawat, Yunish Thakuri, Pawan Sarraf, Yuvraj Khatri, Imran Sheikh, Deepak Dumre, William Bosisto, Mark Watt, Max O’Dowd, Najibullah Zadran, Priyank Panchal.
Chitwan Rhinos
Kushal Malla remains Chitwan’s marquee player. They retained six players from last season and continued with experienced overseas cricketers Ravi Bopara and Sohail Tanvir.
They strengthened their foreign lineup by signing England’s Dawid Malan and Saif Ali Zaib, the top performer for Sudurpaschim last season.
Chitwan also brought back Bipin Rawal and Ranjit Kumar from the auction. Medium pacer Kamal Singh Airee, who missed the first season due to injury, returns to the squad.
They have added five more foreign players, making the squad strong in all positions, particularly top order, middle order, and pace bowling.
However, they lack specialist spinners and rely mostly on part-timers.
Chitwan Squad: Kushal Malla, Kamal Singh Airee, Rijhan Dhakal, Deepak Bohora, Amar Singh Routela, Gautam KC, Dev Khanal, Arjun Saud, Bipin Acharya, Ranjit Kumar, Bipin Rawal, Ravi Bopara, Sohail Tanvir, Dawid Malan, Saif Ali Zaib, Alpesh Ramjani.
Kathmandu Gorkhas
Kathmandu retained six players including marquee player Karan KC. They added Mohammad Adil Alam Ansari and four others in the mini-auction.
They have signed six foreign players, including Namibia’s captain Gerhard Erasmus.
They strengthened their coaching staff by hiring India’s former Nepal head coach Monty Desai, who will be assisted by Basanta Shah Thakuri.
They have recruited English wicketkeeper John Simpson, South African wicketkeeper Ricardo Vasconcelos, and all-rounders Milind Kumar and Sunny Patel.
Erasmus, Milind Kumar, and Sunny Patel are spin all-rounders. Nepali spinners Shahab Alam and Dipesh Kandel will support them.
Karan KC and Rashid Khan are pace bowling all-rounders. Kathmandu has added Adil Alam from the auction to balance the pace department.
Kathmandu Squad: Karan KC, Bhim Sharki, Shahab Alam, Dipesh Kandel, Rashid Khan, Pratik Shrestha, Adil Alam, Uttam Magar, Aakash Tripathi, Tul Bahadur Thapa, Santosh Yadav, Sonu Devkota, Gerhard Erasmus, Milind Kumar, Ben Charlesworth, John Simpson, Ricardo Vasconcelos, Sunny Patel.
Biratnagar Kings
Biratnagar made headlines last season by signing New Zealand star Martin Guptill. This season, the team has drawn even more attention.
With Sandeep Lamichhane as their marquee player, Biratnagar signed South African superstar Faf du Plessis, creating huge excitement.
They retained Guptill and also signed South African fast bowler Marchant de Lange, Australian Sam Hain, American Shubham Ranjane, and Scotland’s George Munsey.
Nepali batters Lokesh Bam and Naren Bhatt have been retained, while Shankar Rana has been signed from the auction. All-rounders Basir Ahmed and Narayan Joshi are also in the team.
Biratnagar will play three foreign batters at the top: Guptill/Faf du Plessis, Munsey, and Hain.
Faf du Plessis will miss some early matches due to his involvement in the Abu Dhabi T10 League from November 18.
In bowling, Biratnagar has Sandeep Lamichhane, Suryata Tamang, Subash Bhandari, and Basir Ahmed for spin, while Pratish GC is the domestic pace option. Marchant de Lange has been signed to strengthen pace.
Biratnagar Squad: Sandeep Lamichhane, Lokesh Bam, Pratish GC, Basir Ahmed, Naren Bhatt, Subash Bhandari, Suryata Tamang, Sahil Patel, Narayan Joshi, Sarwan Kisku, Shankar Rana, Ayush Neupane, Faf du Plessis, George Munsey, Sam Hain, Martin Guptill, Marchant de Lange, Shubham Ranjane.
Pokhara Avengers
Although Pokhara Avengers had a strong team in the first season, they underperformed. For the second season, the franchise has rebranded everything from logo to overall branding.
Nepal national opener Kushal Bhurtel is their marquee player. Pokhara has retained seven players from last season.
They prioritized local players in the auction, signing young batter Arjun Kumal and Nepal U-19 players Sandeep Chhetri , Krishna Poudel, and Abhishek Tiwari.
Jimmy Neesham, who won the title with Janakpur last season, will play for Pokhara this season. Pokhara has also signed England’s Adam Rossington, Dan Douthwaite, Barbados’s Raymon Reifer, and England’s Jason Roy.
Kushal Bhurtel, Dinesh Kharel, and Rossington strengthen the top order, while young Arjun Kumal is a promising option.
In the middle order, Neesham will be supported by Tritt Raj Das and Kiran Thagunna and Abhishek Tiwari is another option.
Spin duties will be handled by Sagar Dhakal and Bipin Karki, while medium pacer Akash Chand leads the pace attack.
Pokhara Squad: Kushal Bhurtel, Dinesh Kharel, Sagar Dhakal, Akash Chand, Tritt Raj Das, Bipin Khatri, Kiran Thagunna, Arjun Kumal, Sandeep Chhetri , Krishna Paudel, Abhishek Tiwari, Adam Rossington, Raymon Reifer, Dan Douthwaite, Jimmy Neesham, Jason Roy.
Lumbini Lions
Under captain Rohit Paudel, Lumbini Lions aim to forget their disappointing first season and produce strong performances this year.
They have changed their logo, team colors, and head coach for the second season. They have also made major changes to their foreign players.
Along with captain Rohit, Lumbini retained Sandeep Jora, Bibek Yadav, Dinesh Adhikari, Abhishes Gautam, and Tilak Bhandari. Injured Vivek Yadav has been replaced by Sumit Maharjan.
They have signed medium pacer Durgesh Gupta, along with Dilip Nath, Sher Malla, Adil Khan, and Bishal Patel from the auction.
Lumbini has revamped its coaching staff by appointing India’s Robin Singh as mentor and Tinu Yohannan as head coach. Shakti Gauchan continues as consultant coach.
Their foreign signings include Australian opener D’Arcy Short, Afghanistan all-rounder Gulbadin Naib, Italy’s Thomas Draca, Namibia’s Ruben Trumpelmann, and Namibia all-rounder JJ Smit.
Lumbini Squad: Rohit Paudel, Sandeep Jora, Dinesh Adhikari, Abhishes Gautam, Tilak Bhandari, Sumit Maharjan, Durgesh Gupta, Dilip Nath, Sher Malla, Adil Khan, Bishal Patel, D’Arcy Short, Thomas Draca, Gulbadin Naib, Ruben Trumpelmann, JJ Smit.
