The second season of the Nepal Premier League has yet again lifted Nepali cricket's notice around the world. Starting November 17 and running until December 13, the tournament showed that when good infrastructure, skilled players, and real passion are combined, it will produce attractive cricket. Eight franchise teams battled it out at the renovated Tribhuvan University cricket ground. It can hold 10,000 people and has lights, so the organizers were able to host night games for the first time ever in Nepal. Playing and watching under the lights made things way more exciting. The country’s main cricket stadium is now on par with international standards, producing an awesome vibe at the NPL-2 where eight franchise teams, each having 16 players, played a total of 32 matches. The stands remained packed, with colorful banners, mascots, and fans, giving the whole tournament a carnival-like atmosphere. International commentators like Ian Bishop, Carlos Brathwaite, Jess Crowe, Aakash Chopra, Mikhail Vaswani, Fazal Khaleel and the ubiquitous Andrew Leonard, who calls Nepal his second home, praised the stadium, noting the quality of the pitch, the outfield, and the fan engagement, saying Nepal had finally built a venue that could host high-profile cricket events. One of the most impressive aspects of the NPL was the participation of both national and international players. Stars such as Faf du Plessis, Martin Guptill, Jimmy Neesham, Jason Roy, Sohail Tanvir, and Ruben Trumplemann brought experience, flair, and global recognition to the tournament. Their presence raised the standard of cricket, while coaches like Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Monty Desai, Pubudu Dassanayake, and Nandan Phadnis added charm to the tournament.
Who is right, who is wrong on Nepal-India battle of maps?
The final of the second season really showed the stunning rise of the Lumbini Lions. Even after losing three games in a row at the start, they came back strong to win the title. The Sudurpaschim Royals played very well during the whole league, only losing one game. However, they could not break the final jinx as they lost again. Meanwhile, the league’s structure is shaped up with good cash prizes and awards, which encouraged teams to bring the best players and work hard. Teams offered big-name players Rs 2 to Rs 4 million in fees. The winner of the league won Rs 11 million in awards, while the runner-up pocketed Rs 5.1 million. The best player of the tournament, Rohit Paudel, walked away with a car, a motorcycle and cash prizes, while the best batter, bowler, and up-and-coming players received awards, plus motorcycles, which made the league even more exciting. The league proved highly profitable to the organizer, the Cricket Association of Nepal, which, according to its president, earned around Rs 400 million.
Finally, the NPL-2 once again proved that Nepal has had the capacity to host all kinds of cricket matches. Though only a few international players played this year, if the Cricket Association of Nepal and the government worked together better, they could get more international players involved. If that happened, the NPL could turn into a super popular tourney that everyone wants to see and play. The stadium with bright lights, fine ground, excited fans, and expert hands required to organize big tournaments can host big national and international cricket events. The league has sent out a message that Nepali cricket is ready to move up. If the organizer, the CAN, and the government put more resources into making it better, the NPL could become one of the best T20 leagues in Asia and the world. With its successful organization, the NPL-2 gave Nepali cricket a much-needed time to shine on the world stage.
