The second Nepal Premier League ran from 17 November to 13 December 2025. All 32 matches were played at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. Eight teams played each other once in a 28-match league, and the top four went into a playoff of Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2 and Final.
The league table
Sudurpaschim Royals topped the league with six wins from seven games. A win was worth two points, giving these totals:
- Sudurpaschim Royals: 6 wins, 12 points
- Biratnagar Kings: 5 wins, 10 points
- Kathmandu Gorkhas: 5 wins, 10 points
- Lumbini Lions: 4 wins, 8 points
- Pokhara Avengers: 3 wins, 6 points
- Karnali Yaks: 2 wins, 4 points
- Chitwan Rhinos: 2 wins, 4 points
- Janakpur Bolts: 1 win, 2 points
Biratnagar and Kathmandu finished level on points. Biratnagar placed second, because the Kings, not the Gorkhas, played in Qualifier 1. No match in 2025 ended in a tie or a no-result.
The playoffs
- Qualifier 1 (9 Dec): Sudurpaschim Royals 155/7 beat Biratnagar Kings, bowled out for 78, by 77 runs. Binod Bhandari was Player of the Match.
- Eliminator (10 Dec): Lumbini Lions chased down Kathmandu Gorkhas' 111 with 112/6, winning by 4 wickets. Sher Malla was Player of the Match.
- Qualifier 2 (11 Dec): Lumbini Lions 134/8 beat Biratnagar Kings, all out for 94, by 40 runs. Tilak Bhandari was Player of the Match.
The final
On 13 December, Sudurpaschim Royals won the toss and chose to bat. They were bowled out for 85 in 19.1 overs, which Onlinekhabar described as the lowest total ever in an NPL final. Ishan Pandey made 33 off 51 balls.
Ruben Trumpelmann took 3 for 3 in 2.1 overs and was named Player of the Match. Sher Malla also took three wickets, and captain Rohit Paudel took three as well, including a hat-trick.
Lumbini then reached 86/4 in nine overs. Dinesh Adhikari hit 42 off 13 balls, with five sixes, and the Lions won by six wickets for their first NPL title. Sudurpaschim were runners-up for the second year running.
Top performers
- Most runs: Adam Rossington (Pokhara Avengers), 323 runs. He received the Platinum Cap as leading run-scorer.
- Most runs by a Nepali player: Rohit Paudel (Lumbini Lions), with 276 runs.
- Most wickets: three bowlers tied on 17: Sandeep Lamichhane (Biratnagar Kings), Sher Malla (Lumbini Lions) and Abinash Bohara (Sudurpaschim Royals). Ruben Trumpelmann was next with 15.
- Player of the Series: Ruben Trumpelmann (Lumbini Lions).
- Emerging player awards: Tilak Raj Bhandari and Sher Malla, both of Lumbini Lions, received the two sponsored Emerging Player of the Tournament awards.
The run and wicket totals are our own count from ESPNcricinfo scorecards of all 32 matches.
Looking ahead
Lumbini Lions start their title defence in the 2026 opener on 26 October, against Sudurpaschim Royals, the team they beat in the 2025 final.
Sources
- ESPNcricinfo (ESPN), 2025 final scorecard and awards: https://www.espn.com/cricket/series/23081/scorecard/1511008/sudur-paschim-royals-npl-vs-lumbini-lions-npl-final-nepal-premier-league-2025-26
- ESPN, NPL fixtures and results: https://africa.espn.com/cricket/scores/series/23081/nepal-premier-league
- Onlinekhabar English (13 Dec 2025), Lumbini Lions lift NPL title: https://english.onlinekhabar.com/lumbini-lions-win-npl-season-2.html
- The Himalayan Times, Lumbini Lions champions of NPL 2025: https://thehimalayantimes.com/sports/lumbini-lions-champions-of-npl-2025
- Himal Press (26 Oct 2026), NPL opener preview: https://en.himalpress.com/lumbini-lions-face-sudurpaschim-royals-in-npl-opener-today/
- Nepal Premier League on YouTube, final highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuMNxoVxBdQ