KATHMANDU, Dec 6: A single match held four teams in suspense on Friday: the clash between Lumbini Lions and defending champions Janakpur Bolts in the Nepal Premier League (NPL). By Thursday, three of the four playoff spots in the second NPL season had been secured. The final berth, however, depended entirely on how Lumbini fared. A defeat for Lumbini would have pushed the playoff race to the league’s final day, keeping Pokhara Avengers and Chitwan Rhinos mathematically alive. Janakpur, too, stepped onto the field determined to win and deny Lumbini a historic playoff entry.
But under national captain Rohit Paudel, Lumbini sealed the moment—and the playoffs.
The Lions, who had finished at the bottom in the inaugural season, scripted a remarkable turnaround by registering three consecutive wins at a crucial stage. Their playoff equation was sealed with three matches still to play. In contrast, the team had lost three straight games earlier in the campaign, reviving concerns that the previous season’s struggles might repeat. Paudel, heavily criticised during that period, said Friday’s victory was a validation of the squad’s potential.
“We were last in the previous season. This time, we wanted to prove ourselves,” he said. “Even when we lost three matches in a row, I trusted the team. Everyone had the ability; we were waiting for it to show on the field. In the last two games, it all clicked.”
With the four-wicket win over Janakpur, Lumbini became the fourth team to enter the playoffs, joining Sudurpaschim Royals, Kathmandu Gorkhas and Biratnagar Kings. Kathmandu and Biratnagar had failed to reach the playoffs last season.
Paudel was central to Lumbini’s success, finishing as the top scorer for his side on Friday and taking two wickets. His all-round consistency has placed him fourth on the tournament’s run-scoring chart with 208 runs, the highest among Nepalis. Nepali bowlers have dominated the tournament, occupying the top four spots on the wicket-takers list: Sandeep Lamichhane, Avinash Bohora, Sahab Alam and Karan KC all have 12 wickets each.
Lumbini’s campaign has also benefited from strong bowling by Sher Malla and Ruben Trumpelmann. Paudel calls Sher the team’s “trump card,” expressing confidence that the bowling unit will remain just as threatening in the knockout stage.
Earlier on Friday at TU Cricket Ground, Janakpur posted a modest 132 for six after opting to bat first. Their innings faltered early, losing three wickets inside the powerplay for just 36 runs. Only Sangit Kure, with an unbeaten 45, and Mayan Yadav, who remained 27 not out, stabilised the total with a 49-run stand for the seventh wicket.
Lumbini’s chase began shakily, losing Sumit Maharjan off the very first ball. But a 60-run partnership between Paudel (34) and opener D’Arcy Short (30) restored control. Janakpur’s bowlers—Sangit with three wickets and Mayan with two—briefly pushed Lumbini onto the back foot, reducing them to 121 for six. Yet the target proved too small to defend, with Lumbini completing the victory in 19.1 overs.
Paudel now carries a renewed sense of belief into the playoffs: “Lumbini are the strongest team going into the knockouts,” he said, projecting confidence that the Lions’ momentum will hold.