Lumbini Lions Obliterate Sudurpaschim Royals by 7 Wickets in Explosive NPL Season 3 Opener
Defending champions Lumbini Lions launched their NPL Season 3 campaign with a ruthless seven-wicket victory over Sudurpaschim Royals, bowling them out for 87 before racing to the target in under 10 overs.
A Statement Win to Launch NPL Season 3
Defending champions Lumbini Lions opened the third edition of the Siddhartha Bank Nepal Premier League (NPL) in emphatic fashion, sweeping aside last season's runners-up Sudurpaschim Royals by seven wickets in a match that lasted barely half the scheduled overs at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur.
Before a single ball was bowled, Prime Minister Balendra Shah officially inaugurated the third edition of the marquee franchise T20 tournament by handing over the official match ball to the umpires. Once play commenced, Rohit Paudel's side delivered a masterclass, dismantling Sudurpaschim for a paltry 87 runs in 17.2 overs and chasing down the 88-run target in just 9.5 overs with 61 balls to spare.
The rematch of last season's final proved even more one-sided than its predecessor, sending a clear message to the remaining six franchises across the country: the defending champions' title core remains sharp, dominant, and hungry for back-to-back silverware.
Ruthless Bowling Attack Dismantles the Royals
After winning the toss and opting to field, Lumbini captain Rohit Paudel unleashed a disciplined bowling attack that quickly blew open the Sudurpaschim top order. Operating with lethal accuracy on a fresh Kirtipur surface, the Lions reduced the Royals to an agonizing 34 for 4 within the opening powerplay.
Kishore Mahato and Sher Malla combined to decimate Sudurpaschim's batting line-up, ensuring the opposition never built any meaningful momentum throughout their 17.2 overs at the crease:
- Kishore Mahato led the wicket tally with figures of 4 for 22, ripping through the middle and lower order with raw pace and tight lines.
- Sher Malla delivered an exceptional spell of slow bowling, taking 3 wickets for just 11 runs in his 4 overs and trapping senior wicketkeeper Binod Bhandari (9) leg-before in the fourth over.
- Mahato struck twice in the very same over, removing national star Aarif Sheikh for 0 and overseas batter Brandon McMullen for just 2 runs.
- Sudurpaschim skipper Dipendra Singh Airee offered the lone resistance, top-scoring with a fighting 27 off 23 balls (including two boundaries), while Saif Zaib contributed 13 and tail-ender Anil Kharel finished on 15 not out.
- International stars fell cheaply under relentless pressure: Sherfane Rutherford managed only 1 run, while Scott Kuggeleijn and Hemant Dhami were both dismissed without scoring.
- Extras added 10 (lb 7, w 3). Fall of wickets: 24/1, 26/2, 28/3, 34/4, 53/5, 56/6, 56/7, 70/8, 70/9, 87/10.
Blistering Powerplay Chase Led by D'Arcy Short
Faced with a modest target of 88 runs, Lumbini's opening duo of Australian star D'Arcy Short and Nepal international Aasif Sheikh completely destroyed any hopes of a Sudurpaschim fightback, effectively wrapping up the contest inside the powerplay.
Short launched a ferocious assault from the outset, blasting 40 runs off just 18 deliveries with four boundaries and three towering sixes. Alongside Aasif Sheikh, who played a brisk and fluent knock of 32 runs off 25 balls, the pair raced past 50 inside five overs and brought up 70 runs in the six-over powerplay.
Together, the openers posted a massive 71-run partnership off just 34 balls. Though Sudurpaschim spinner Anil Kharel eventually dismissed both openers and Dipendra Singh Airee bowled Niroshan Dickwella for 7, the damage was already done. Captain Rohit Paudel sealed the resounding win by smashing Airee for a boundary off the fifth ball of the 10th over to finish at 88/3.
Historic DRS Debut and Official ICC Status
Beyond the action on the field, the NPL Season 3 opener served as a major milestone for Nepalese cricket infrastructure and governance.
The fixture marked the historical debut of the Decision Review System (DRS) in domestic Nepalese cricket. Lumbini skipper Rohit Paudel took the first-ever DRS review on the final ball of the second over following an unsuccessful leg-before-wicket appeal by Sher Malla. While the review was ultimately unsuccessful, the system's integration elevated the tournament's technical standards.
Furthermore, Season 3 stands as the first edition of the Nepal Premier League to receive full official T20 recognition from the International Cricket Council (ICC), solidifying its position among top-tier global franchise leagues.
Full Match Scorecard
The official scorecard from the NPL Season 3 opener, sourced from the NPL tracker data layer.
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saif Zaib | 13 | 14 | 2 | 0 | 92.86 |
| Binod Bhandari | 9 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 112.50 |
| Aarif Sheikh | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Brandon McMullen | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Dipendra Singh Airee | 27 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 117.39 |
| Ishan Pandey | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 77.78 |
| Sherfane Rutherford | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 25.00 |
| Scott Kuggeleijn | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Anil Kharel | 15 | 26 | 1 | 0 | 57.69 |
| Hemant Dhami | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Abhinash Bohara | 3 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kishore Mahato | 4 | 0 | 22 | 4 | 5.50 |
| Sher Malla | 4 | 0 | 11 | 3 | 2.80 |
| Shadley van Schalkwyk | 3 | 0 | 19 | 1 | 6.30 |
| Tilak Bhandari | 4 | 0 | 18 | 1 | 4.50 |
| Rohit Kumar Paudel | 2.2 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 4.30 |
| Batter | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D'Arcy Short | 40 | 18 | 4 | 3 | 222.22 |
| Aasif Sheikh | 32 | 25 | 2 | 2 | 128.00 |
| Niroshan Dickwella | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 70.00 |
| Shamim Hossain Patwari | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 33.33 |
| Rohit Kumar Paudel | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 166.67 |
| Bowler | O | M | R | W | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scott Kuggeleijn | 2 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 15.00 |
| Hemant Dhami | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5.00 |
| Brandon McMullen | 1 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 11.00 |
| Dipendra Singh Airee | 3.5 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 8.10 |
| Anil Kharel | 2 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 4.50 |
bar chart Runs by batter (Sudurpaschim Royals) — Airee: 27 runs, Zaib: 13 runs, Kharel: 15 runs, Pandey: 7 runs, Bhandari: 9 runs, Bohara: 3 runs, Rutherford: 1 runs, McMullen: 2 runs, Sheikh: 0 runs, Kuggeleijn: 0 runs, Dhami: 0 runs
bar chart Wickets by bowler (Lumbini Lions) — Mahato: 4 wkts, Malla: 3 wkts, van Schalkwyk: 1 wkts, Bhandari: 1 wkts, Paudel: 1 wkts
Net Run Rate Surge and Looking Ahead
The magnitude of this opening victory goes far beyond securing two points on the league table. By concluding the run chase in under ten overs with 61 balls remaining, Lumbini Lions secured a massive early boost to their Net Run Rate (NRR) — a critical metric in an eight-team league stage where playoff seeding is frequently decided by small fractions.
For Sudurpaschim Royals, the heavy loss forces an immediate tactical reset as they seek to recover their net run rate deficit in upcoming fixtures.
The tournament action accelerates quickly at the TU International Cricket Ground on Tuesday with a double-header schedule: Biratnagar Kings take on Chitwan Rhinos in the afternoon fixture (12:30 PM NST), followed by an evening battle between Karnali Yaks and Janakpur Bolts (5:00 PM NST).