The second season of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) is set to bring back high-voltage T20 action to Nepal, as the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) officially announced the full schedule for the 2025 edition.

The Siddhartha Bank NPL 2025 will run from 17 November to 13 December, featuring 32 matches, including 28 league games and four playoffs, all at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur. Building on the success of its debut season last year, NPL Season 2 promises more competition, international stars, and greater fan engagement.

Eight regional franchises will once again participate:

Each team will play the others once in the league stage before the top four qualify for the playoffs. Defending champions Janakpur Bolts, led by Aasif Sheikh, will aim to retain their crown. The Bolts lifted the inaugural title in 2024 by chasing down 185 against the Sudurpaschim Royals in just 19.2 overs. Adding to their strength, West Indies legend Shivnarine Chanderpaul joins them as head coach this season.

Global Stars Arrive

This year’s NPL will see even more international presence. The biggest headline comes from Biratnagar Kings, who have signed former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis, alongside other international names like Martin Guptill, Marchant de Lange, and George Munsey.

Players such as Ravi Bopara, Dawid Malan, Wayne Parnell, Rashid Khan, Gulbadin Naib, and Chris Lynn will also feature across teams, making it the most star-studded NPL yet.

Nepal Premier League (NPL) 2025 – Full Schedule

Playoffs Schedule

Team Squads (Full List)

Biratnagar Kings

Sandeep Lamichhane (c), Basir Ahamad, Lokesh Bam (wk), Subash Bhandari, Naren Bhatta, Marchant de Lange, Faf du Plessis, Martin Guptill, Pratish GC, Sam Heazlett, Narayan Joshi, Shrawan Kisku, George Munsey, Sahil Patel (wk), Shankar Rana, Surya Tamang

Chitwan Rhinos

Kushal Malla (c), Bipin Acharya, Kamal Singh Airee, Deepak Bohara, Ravi Bopara, Rijan Dhakal, Gautam KC, Dev Khanal, Ranjeet Kumar, Dawid Malan, Alpesh Ramjani, Amar Rautela, Bipin Rawal (wk), Arjun Saud (wk), Sohail Tanvir, Saif Zaib

Janakpur Bolts

Aasif Sheikh (c, wk), Rupesh Singh, Imran Tahir, Tul Thapa, Mayan Yadav, Nicol Loftie-Eaton, Sompal Kami, Will Bosisto, Deepak Dumre (wk), Arjun Gharti (wk), Gulshan Jha, Yuvraj Khatri, Max O'Dowd, Dipendra Rawat, Pawan Sarraf, Bipin Sharma

Karnali Yaks

Sompal Kami (c), Will Bosisto, Deepak Dumre (wk), Arjun Gharti (wk), Gulshan Jha, Yuvraj Khatri, Max O'Dowd, Dipendra Rawat, Pawan Sarraf, Bipin Sharma, Imran Sheikh, Unish Thakuri, Mark Watt, Nandan Yadav

Kathmandu Gorkhas

Karan KC (c), Mohammad Aadil Alam, Shahab Alam, Ben Charlesworth, Gerhard Erasmus, Dipesh Kandel, Milind Kumar, Rashid Khan, Uttam Magar (wk), Sunny Patel, Natarajan Shah, Bhim Sharki, John Simpson (wk), Pratik Shrestha, Aakash Tripathi, Tul B Thapa

Lumbini Lions

Rohit Paudel (c), Dinesh Adhikari, Tilak Bhandari, Thomas Draca, Abhishesh Gautam, Durgesh Gupta, Sundeep Jora, Aadil Khan, Sher Malla, Gulbadin Naib, Dilip Nath (wk), Bishal Patel, D'Arcy Short, Bibek Yadav

Pokhara Avengers

Kushal Bhurtel (c), Aakash Chand, Sandeep Chhetri, Trit Raj Das, Sagar Dhakal, Dinesh Kharel, Bipin Khatri, Arjun Kumal, Krishna Poudel, Raymon Reifer, Adam Rossington (wk), Kiran Thagunna, Abhisekh Tiwari

Sudurpaschim Royals

Dipendra Singh Airee (c), Binod Bhandari (wk), Abinash Bohara, Dipak Bohara (wk), Milan Bohara, Hemant Dhami, Scott Kuggeleijn, Chris Lynn, Hikmat Mahara, Ishan Pandey, Tek Rawat (wk), Naren Saud, Harmeet Singh, Aarif Sheikh, Dipendra Thapa (wk), Josh Brown

Tournament Format

• League Stage: 28 matches (each team plays 7)
• Playoffs: Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and Final
• Top 4 teams qualify for playoffs
• All matches live from Kirtipur under lights

What to Expect

With international stars like Faf du Plessis, Rashid Khan, Chris Lynn, Dawid Malan, and Imran Tahir joining the action, NPL 2025 promises to be the most exciting edition yet, one that could elevate Nepal’s domestic cricket to a new global stage.

South African leg-spinner Imran Tahir is all set to bring his magic to Nepal as he joins Janakpur Bolts for the 2025 season of the Nepal Premier League (NPL). The announcement, made by the Dream Sports-owned franchise, has created huge excitement among cricket fans ahead of the tournament starting on November 17, 2025, at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur.

At 46 years old, Tahir’s signing adds world-class experience and flair to the defending champions, who are aiming to retain their NPL title. Despite his age, the veteran spinner continues to perform at a high level in franchise cricket across the world. Known for his trademark celebrations and never-ending passion for the game, Tahir’s presence will not only strengthen Janakpur’s bowling attack but also inspire the young players in the squad.

Born in Lahore, Pakistan, Tahir’s cricket journey is nothing short of remarkable. After playing domestic cricket in Pakistan and county cricket in England, he moved to South Africa, where his international career took off. Making his ODI debut in 2011 at the age of 31, he went on to become one of the most successful white-ball spinners of his generation.

Imran Tahir’s signing strengthens Janakpur Bolts as they gear up to defend their Nepal Premier League title in 2025

Tahir’s international numbers speak for themselves, 57 wickets in 20 Tests, 173 in 107 ODIs, and 63 in 38 T20Is for South Africa. His consistency and skill earned him the No. 1 ranking in both ODIs and T20Is in 2017. Even after retiring from international cricket in 2019, he remains one of the most sought-after players in T20 leagues worldwide, with 570 wickets in 446 T20 matches to his name.

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For Janakpur Bolts, Tahir’s signing is a statement of intent. With players like Anil Sah, Lalit Rajbanshi, Sompal Kami, and Gulshan Jha already in the mix, the addition of Tahir gives them a perfect blend of youth and experience. The NPL 2025 promises to be a bigger and more competitive event, with global stars such as Faf du Plessis, Chris Lynn, and Rashid Khan also expected to feature.

Speaking on his new challenge, Tahir said, “Playing in Nepal is exciting, the passion here reminds me of my early days. I’m looking forward to helping Janakpur Bolts defend their title and to being part of Nepal’s cricket journey.”

As Janakpur Bolts prepare for their title defense, Tahir’s experience and mastery of spin could be the difference between victory and defeat. His arrival doesn’t just boost Janakpur, it elevates the entire Nepal Premier League to a new level of international recognition.