Anil Malla Thakuri

The triumph marked a disappointing repeat for Sudurpashchim, who suffered their second consecutive defeat in the NPL final. They had finished runners-up in the inaugural season as well, losing to Janakpur Bolts, who failed to reach the playoffs this season.

Sudurpaschim Royals and Lumbini Lions will face each other in the Nepal Premier League (NPL) final on Saturday, with both teams aiming to win their first-ever title.

Thapa advanced to the semifinals of the 54 kg men’s category on Wednesday after defeating Iran’s Kazemi Mehdi by a unanimous decision in the quarterfinals.

In their last league match, Biratnagar produced aggressive batting and stunned Sudurpaschim by six wickets in Kirtipur on Saturday. The big win pushed Biratnagar to second place on net run rate, sending Kathmandu Gorkhas down to third. The first qualifier between Biratnagar and Sudurpaschim will be...

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.

This is Sudurpaschim’s third win over Janakpur in all NPL meetings. They had dominated the league and the first qualifier last season, but froze in the final, finishing without the title. This time, they look determined to settle that score, and beating Janakpur again has pushed them one step...

After a challenging previous season, in which Lumbini finished last with just one win and underwhelming contributions from foreign players, the team has begun this season with renewed energy and cohesion.

For the first time in Nepali cricket history, a day/night match will be played under floodlights, with Janakpur and Kathmandu getting the opportunity to contest the inaugural game. The upgraded Kirtipur-based cricket stadium will also host its first major tournament.

In the ongoing tri-nation series under League-2, Nepal suffered a five-wicket loss to hosts United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday. Despite a century from captain Rohit Kumar Paudel, Nepal failed to set a competitive total and eventually lost the match easily.

Returning Adil Alam among top picks as Sharad Vesawkar, other veterans go unsold in NPL Mini Auction