Cricket Kitchen

NPL-3: Lumbini to Bowl First Against Sudurpaschim

October 26, 2026

Kathmandu – Lumbini Lions have elected to bowl first against Sudurpaschim Royals in the opening match of the Nepal Premier League (NPL).

Lumbini won the toss at the Kirtipur Cricket Ground and chose to field first. Lumbini are the defending champions, while Sudurpaschim finished as runners-up last season.

Sudurpaschim, who face Lumbini in the opening match, have lost the finals of both previous editions of the tournament. They were defeated by Janakpur Bolts in the first edition and by Lumbini in the second.

Lumbini, who finished at the bottom of the points table in the inaugural edition, went on to win the title in the second season. With the two teams that have featured in the final facing off in the opening match, an exciting contest is expected. Prime Minister Balendra Shah is scheduled to inaugurate the tournament.

Lumbini’s key domestic players include captain Rohit Paudel, Sandeep Jora, Sher Malla, Dinesh Adhikari, Dilip Nath and Kishore Mahato. The team also has several international players, including Namibia’s Ruben Trumpelmann, who was named Player of the Tournament in the previous edition, Australia’s D’Arcy Short, Sri Lanka’s Niroshan Dickwella and Bangladesh’s Shamima Hussain.

Sudurpaschim are captained by Dipendra Singh Airee, while former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq serves as the team’s head coach. Alongside Airee, the squad includes Aarif Sheikh, Binod Bhandari, Ishan Pandey and Avinash Bohara. International players in the team include England’s batter Saif Zaib, New Zealand’s Scott Kuggeleijn, Scotland’s Brandon McMullen and West Indies’ Sherfane Rutherford.

Lumbini and Sudurpaschim have faced each other three times in the NPL, with Sudurpaschim winning two of those matches. However, Sudurpaschim lost to Lumbini by six wickets in the final of the previous edition.

The ICC-recognized Nepal Premier League will run until Mangsir 5. The 27-day tournament will feature 32 matches.

The winning team will receive a prize of Rs 15 million (Rs 1.5 crore). The runners-up will receive Rs 8 million (Rs 80 lakh), the third-placed team Rs 4 million (Rs 40 lakh), and the fourth-placed team Rs 3 million (Rs 30 lakh).

Previously, the tournament champions received Rs 11 million (Rs 1.1 crore).