T20 Nepal Premier League cricket tournament sparks excitement

There’s a great deal of excitement around the country at the moment. The big buzz is all about the Twenty20 Nepal Premier League cricket franchise tournament, set to commence from November 30th in Kathmandu.

The upcoming tourney has sports aficionados agog. They are eagerly anticipating the thrill of the shortest and fastest format of the game, which has captured the imagination of cricket fans worldwide.

As the countdown to the competition begins, cricket fans' excitement is gradually reaching a crescendo.

Nepal Premier League (NPL), organized by the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), promises to bring an electrifying festive atmosphere.

Siddhartha Bank is the title sponsor of the NPL, while Twenty First Century Media Sports serves as the strategic partner of CAN.

All matches will be held at the Kirtipur Cricket Stadium, which underwent a major facelift.

The upgrades are in the form of an improved outfield, exclusive VIP seating arrangements, dedicated lounges for team owners and special guests, the installation of a digital scoreboard and new sight screens, coupled with additional practice pitches and expansion of the boundary to meet international standards.

Eight teams—Kathmandu Gurkhas, Chitwan Rhinos, Biratnagar Kings, Janakpur Bolts, Pokhara Avengers, Lumbini Lions, Karnali Yaks, and Sudurpaschim Royals—representing different provinces of Nepal are in the fray for top honors in the inaugural edition of the tournament.

Each team is a mix of domestic and international players. There are overseas players from 16 countries, adding international flair to the competition.

And to top it off, a good number of players are from Test-playing nations: England, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Afghanistan, the West Indies, and India.

Definitely, the tournament’s biggest name is India’s former opener Shikhar Dhawan, aka Gabbar, who retired from international and domestic cricket in August of this year.

He made headlines after he signed for Karnali Yaks. The 38-year-old left-hander boasts of a very impressive cricket career.

He represented India in 34 Test matches, 167 One Day Internationals (ODIs), 68 Twenty20 Internationals, and 122 First-Class matches with great success.

He is regarded as one of the greatest ODI players India has ever produced. In 167 matches, he accumulated 6,793 runs with the help of 17 centuries and 39 half-centuries.

Certainly, the eye-catching statistics speak for themselves. He is most likely to find himself under the spotlight throughout the competition. His form remains crucial for the Karnali Yaks’ success.

All-rounder James Neesham, a native of New Zealand, is another big name playing in the competition.

The hard-hitting New Zealander has represented his country in all formats of the game (12 Tests, 76 ODIs, 77 T20Is, and 68 First-Class matches). Speaking of franchise cricket, he has played in every major tournament globally. No doubt, he is a big catch for Janakpur Bolts, who hope to benefit immensely from his talent and experience.

Former opener of the national team of New Zealand Martin James Guptill, roped in by Biratnagar Kings, is another big name and a key player.

Having played in 47 Tests, 298 ODIs, 122 T20Is, and 118 First-Class matches, he is vastly experienced and a solid batter.

His batting, especially in ODIs, stands out. He is the current record holder for the highest individual score in the Cricket World Cup, and his 237 not out is the second-highest in limited-overs cricket. He has amassed 7,346 runs, which includes 18 centuries and 39 half-centuries. Since 2005, he has been playing non-stop first-class and franchise cricket.

Australian all-rounder Ben Cutting, picked by Lumbini Lions, is their best international pick.

The Aussie represented Australia in 4 ODIs and 7 T20Is. Additionally, he has played in 51 First-Class matches and 72 List A Matches.

Thirty-one-year-old United States national Unmukt Chand Thakur, a top-order batter, is another international signing by Lumbini Lions.

Thakur, who was then an Indian national, skippered and led India’s Under-19 cricket team to victory in the 2012 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. He had a sensational tournament, scoring three consecutive centuries. He was even touted as the next Virat Kohli, but things didn’t go as planned for him.

At the age of 28, he retired from Indian cricket and moved to the United States, pursuing a career in American cricket. He became eligible to play for the United States in 2021. He has appeared in 67 First-Class matches, 130 List A matches, and 89 T20s. He is a tremendous batter with an excellent batting average.

Chitwan Rhinos will rely heavily on the performance of right-arm fast bowler South African Marchant de Lange, who has represented his country in all formats of the game.

His pace, swing, and accuracy make him a dangerous bowler. No wonder in his 108 First-Class matches and 97 List A matches, he has claimed 375 and 180 wickets, respectively.

This apart, the competition will showcase the cream of the country’s talent, including current national players.

This tournament is very significant for the new crop of talented players as it provides them the opportunity to prove themselves and impress the national selectors. It will also give us a clearer indication of the quality of our players.

Of the eight head coaches, 3 are locals, and 5 are foreigners. Three are from India and one each from Ireland and Sri Lanka.

Interestingly, the former head coach of the national team of Nepal, Sri Lanka-born Canadian Pubudu Dassanayake, is the coach of Janakpur Bolts.

It may be recalled that CAN had organized the highly controversial and disastrous Twenty20 league, the country’s first franchise cricket competition, in 2022.

Without going through a competitive bidding process, CAN sold the tournament rights to Seven3Sports, the Indian sports management company, for 8 years.

The tournament was in shambles after it was rocked by match and spot-fixing allegations. Things got so bad that the Central Investigation Bureau had to step in to investigate the matter and later arrested as many as ten people involved in the act. The National Sports Council had no choice but to scrap the competition permanently.

This was a clear case of utter incompetence, mismanagement, negligence, maladministration, overstepping boundaries, and failure to abide by the rules on the part of the cricket body.

Certainly, it serves as an eye-opener for the current CAN administration in many ways, reminding them of the importance and need to take lessons from it.

Preserving integrity, transparency, and fairness is crucial for the long-term success of the Nepal Premier League.

The tournament of this nature is bound to further bolster the popularity of cricket in the country, inspiring and developing the next generation of cricketers.

India-based Star Sports Network will broadcast Nepal Premier League matches globally, significantly enhancing the visibility, profile, and appeal.

Our cricketers must  strive for excellence and embrace the opportunity to showcase their talents on  the  big stage.