The league-stage matches of Siddhartha Bank Nepal Premier League 2025 have concluded. On Sunday, in the final league match, the Karnali Yaks defeated the Janakpur Bolts by three runs, bringing the league-stage points table to a close.
Even before this match, the four teams qualifying for the playoffs had already been confirmed.
In the first Qualifier of the playoffs, Sudurpashchim Royals will face Biratnagar Kings. The winner will advance directly to the final, while the losing team will get another chance.
In the Eliminator, Kathmandu Gorkhas will play Lumbini Lions. The winner of this match will face the loser of the first Qualifier in the second Qualifier, and the winner of that match will reach the final.
How have the four playoff teams performed so far? Let’s take a closer look.
Sudurpashchim Royals
Sudurpashchim Royals, who topped the league table last season as well, enter the playoffs this year as the table-toppers once again.
Sudurpashchim secured the top position early by winning their first six matches in a row. They lost their final league game to Biratnagar Kings, whom they will face again in the first Qualifier.
Sudurpashchim have excelled in all three departments, batting, bowling, and fielding. Led by Nepal national team vice-captain and all-rounder Dipendra Singh Airee, they lost only their final match and displayed strong performances in their remaining games.
In the top order, Binod Bhandari, Chris Lynn, and Josh Brown have performed well. In the middle and lower order, captain Dipendra, along with Ishan Pandey, Arif Sheikh, and Harmeet Singh, have contributed significantly.
Dipendra himself has contributed across all departments, scoring 146 runs, taking seven wickets, and adding catches and direct-hit run-outs.
Foreign players as well as Nepali players have performed strongly for Sudurpashchim. Nepali players lead both the run-scoring and wicket-taking charts for the team.
Binod Bhandari is the highest run-scorer with 201 runs, including one half-century, in seven matches. Abinash Bohara leads in bowling with 14 wickets in seven matches.
However, Lynn and Brown will not be available for the playoffs. They have been replaced by American batter Mukhtar Ahmed and Indian batter Sheldon Jackson, from whom strong performances will be expected.
Coach Jagat Tamata said that the team has performed well in both batting and bowling, and credited both the players and the support staff.
“Our batting and bowling units have taken responsibility. I want to thank the team management and support staff. At the moment, our bowling looks like our biggest strength,” he said.
Sudurpashchim Royals’ Form: 6 wins, 1 loss
Top Runs: Binod Bhandari (201), Arif Sheikh (160), Dipendra Singh Airee (146), Chris Lynn (143), Ishan Pandey (114)
Top Wickets: Abinash Bohara (14), Harmeet Singh (10), Scott Kuggeleijn (8), Dipendra Singh Airee (7), Hemant Dhami (6)
Biratnagar Kings
Biratnagar, who missed the playoffs in the first edition, made headlines before this season by signing South African star batter Faf du Plessis.
They also retained New Zealand’s Martin Guptill and signed South African pace bowler Merchant de Lange and Australian BBL star Sam Hain, giving the team a formidable look.
Biratnagar started strongly, winning their first three matches and showing strong playoff potential. But Chitwan Rhinos handed them their first loss in the fourth match. In the fifth match, Biratnagar defeated Karnali Yaks with Basir Ahmed’s standout performance, but then lost to Lumbini in the sixth.
Despite some inconsistency in the middle of the tournament, Biratnagar had already confirmed their playoff berth. However, to finish in the top two, they needed a big win against the unbeaten Sudurpashchim. In a “high-voltage” match, Biratnagar ended Sudurpashchim’s undefeated run and secured an impressive victory to clinch the second position.
Biratnagar looks balanced, with contributions from the middle order too. In bowling, captain Sandeep Lamichhane is in excellent rhythm, taking 15 wickets in seven matches, the highest in the entire tournament. Merchant de Lange has taken eight wickets and is expected to perform even better.
Sandeep has played a crucial role in almost every victory. He has also contributed cameo runs with big hits when needed.
Captain Sandeep Lamichhane praised Sudurpashchim for playing very good cricket and said they will carry the positive elements from the previous match forward.
“Sudurpashchim are playing a very good brand of cricket, credit to Dipendra for that,” he said. “We will take today’s positive things into the next match as well.”
Biratnagar Kings’ Form: 5 wins, 2 losses
Top Runs: Basir Ahmed (176), Lokesh Bam (175), Martin Guptill (121), Sam Hain (116), Shubham Ranjane (87)
Top Wickets: Sandeep Lamichhane (15), Merchant de Lange (8), Shubham Ranjane (5), Surya Tamang (4), Pratish GC (4)
Kathmandu Gorkhas
Kathmandu Gorkhas, who missed the playoffs last season due to net run rate, qualified this time with enough points, though the journey was far from easy.
They defeated defending champions Janakpur Bolts in the opening match but then lost two in a row, losing momentum. After that, they bounced back strongly, winning four consecutive matches to secure a playoff spot. They finished third due to an inferior net run rate compared to Biratnagar.
Foreign players have played a key role for Kathmandu, especially in batting. English players Ben Charlesworth and John Simpson have been central performers, while Gerhard Erasmus contributed moderately before becoming unavailable for the playoffs.
Three of Kathmandu’s top five run-scorers this season are foreign players: John Simpson, Ben Charlesworth, and Milind Kumar. Aakash Tripathi and Bhim Sharki complete the list.
In bowling, captain Karan KC has received support from Shahab Alam, Rashid Khan, and Milind Kumar. Shahab even delivered a record-breaking bowling performance in the final league match.
Kathmandu’s victories have heavily depended on foreign players. Rashid Khan, Santosh Yadav, and Adil Alam have not done well with the bat.
Kathmandu did not sign foreign bowlers, meaning their bowling relies almost entirely on Nepali players. Aside from part-time spinner Milind Kumar, all bowlers are Nepali, and they will need to work harder to push the team toward the final.
Kathmandu Gorkhas’ Form: 5 wins, 2 losses
Top Runs: Ben Charlesworth (197), John Simpson (154), Aakash Tripathi (117), Milind Kumar (113), Bhim Sharki (76)
Top Wickets: Shahab Alam (12), Karan KC (12), Milind Kumar (10), Rashid Khan (8), Santosh Yadav (5)
Lumbini Lions
Lumbini Lions, who failed to progress beyond the league stage last season, rebranded themselves this year, changing their logo, jersey, players, and coaching staff.
They started with a win but then suffered three consecutive losses, putting their playoff hopes in jeopardy.
With only two points from their first four matches, every remaining game became a do-or-die scenario. Amid the pressure, Lumbini staged an impressive comeback, winning all their remaining three matches and qualifying for the playoffs.
They also made changes to their foreign players and batting order during the tournament, which produced positive results. Sandeep Jora, who opened in the initial matches, was moved back to his natural middle-order/finisher role. After Sri Lankan batter Niroshan Dickwella arrived, the middle order looked more balanced.
For Lumbini, Nepali players lead both batting and bowling charts. Captain Rohit Paudel is the top run-scorer, while Sher Malla has taken the most wickets. Australian D’arcy Short has also found form in recent matches.
Captain Rohit has scored 208 runs in seven matches, although his strike rate needs improvement. Short has scored 164 runs. In bowling, Sher Malla leads with 12 wickets, followed by Namibian pacer Ruben Trumpelmann with eight.
All-rounder Gulbadin Naib, who can hit big shots in the middle overs and take wickets, has returned. For now, Namibian JJ Smit has been fulfilling that role effectively.
With improvements in both batting and bowling, Lumbini could also be a strong contender for the title. Rohit echoed this sentiment.
“Lumbini looks in the best shape, all three teams are good, but Lumbini is looking very strong,” he said after qualifying. “We have played very well in the last three matches. This shouldn’t make us get carried away, but all teams are strong and Lumbini is even better.”
Lumbini Lions’ Form: 4 wins, 3 losses
Top Runs: Rohit Paudel (208), D’arcy Short (164), Dilip Nath (113), Sandeep Jora (92), Gulbadin Naib (90)
Top Wickets: Sher Malla (12), Ruben Trumpelmann (8), Gulbadin Naib (5), Rohit Paudel (4), Abhishek Gautam (4)
