Nepali players perform well in both batting and bowling in NPL

लगानी न्यूज

१९ कार्तिक २०८३, बिहीबार १०:५०November 5, 2026

Kathmandu. In the initial phase of the third edition of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) T-20 Cricket Tournament, Nepali players have performed impressively in both batting and bowling.

After the completion of 13 matches of the tournament, Nepali players have proved themselves to be excellent in individual performance by competing with foreign players. In the previous edition, the performance of foreign players from the initial round was more popular, but this time the Nepali players have also left a continuous impact in batting and bowling. The performance of the young players, in particular, has made the tournament more competitive.

In the batting category, Nepali batter Lokesh Bam of Biratnagar Kings is at the top of the list of highest run-scorers. He has scored 188 runs in four matches at a strike rate of 162.06. During this period, he has scored two half-centuries.TAG_OPEN_div_61

TAG_OPEN_div_59 Lokesh’s batting was crucial in Biratnagar’s two consecutive wins. Batting aggressively, he has shown the ability to score big in a short time.

West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell of Biratnagar is second in the list of highest run-scorers. He has scored 141 runs in four matches with one half-century. Along with Russell, who is established in international cricket, Nepali batters have taken the lead in the list of highest run-scorers, which is a positive aspect for domestic cricket.TAG_OPEN_div_57

Apart from Lokesh, Nepali young batters Pawan Sarraf and Imran Sheikh are also performing well. Pawan has scored 103 runs and Imran has scored 100 runs. Nepali batters have also started contributing to the team’s victory by improving their individual performances.TAG_OPEN_div_55

Biratnagar Kings Director Dipendra Chaudhary said that the performance of Nepali players in the NPL is good for Nepali cricket. He said that it is a positive sign that the domestic players showed their ability by competing with foreign players in the initial phase of the tournament.TAG_OPEN_div_53

“The Nepali players have performed well in the initial phase of the ongoing NPL. The domestic players have also appeared ahead in the list of players who have won the Player of the Match award. This is a good sign for Nepali cricket,” Chaudhary, who is also a former national cricketer, told RSS.

TAG_OPEN_div_49 The performance of Nepali players is remarkable not only in batting but also in bowling. Karnali Yaks captain Sompal Kami is at the top of the list of highest wicket-takers. He has taken seven wickets in three matches at an economy rate of 8.20.

Sompal has kept the opposition batters under pressure by bowling effectively. Along with captaincy, his rhythm has been important for Karnali, who has been performing responsibly on both bowling and batting.

England’s Moeen Ali and Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews are also in the list of highest wicket-takers. Both of them have taken seven wickets in each of the four matches.TAG_OPEN_div_45

Similarly, the young spinner of Far-Western Royals, Anil Kharel, is also bowling impressively. He has taken six wickets in four matches at an economy rate of 6.12. His ability to prevent the opposition batters from scoring runs has further strengthened the bowling of the Far West.TAG_OPEN_div_43

16-year-old fast bowler Rahul Yadav, who is playing his first NPL for Janakpur Bolts, has also been the highlight of this edition. He has taken six wickets in four matches at an economy rate of seven. Rahul’s contribution has been important in Janakpur’s two victories.TAG_OPEN_div_41

Rahul, who got a chance in big tournaments at a young age, has caught the attention of the fans with his bowling ability. He has also been declared the ‘Player of the Match’ in this edition. England all-rounder Moeen Ali, who is based in Janakpur, said that Rahul, who has shown confidence by taking the field with experienced foreign and national team players, is a positive possibility for the future of Nepali cricket. He also gave Rahul the title of ‘Nepali Malinga’.TAG_OPEN_div_39

According to Biratnagar Kings director Chaudhary, the NPL has given an opportunity to Nepali players to play in the same tournament with international players and test their ability. He said that the consistency and confidence shown by the Nepali players indicates that the standard of domestic cricket is improving.TAG_OPEN_div_37

} “In the last edition, foreign players had been making an impact since the beginning. But this time, the Nepali players have also consistently performed well,” he said.

Chaudhary, who is also the coordinator of the pre-selection committee of Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), expressed confidence that the performance of Nepali players will continue in this rhythm throughout the tournament. He said that the domestic players can play a decisive role in the team’s result by performing better throughout the season.TAG_OPEN_div_33