The Nepal Premier League returns on Monday, 26 October 2026, and it could hardly ask for a bigger opening night. Defending champions Lumbini Lions face Sudurpaschim Royals — the same opponents they beat in last season’s final — in Match 1 of NPL Season 3 at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. It is a final rematch, a title-defence opener and a first look at two settled squads all in one evening, under lights in front of what should be a packed Kirtipur crowd. The first ball is scheduled for 5:00 PM Nepal time, which is 4:45 PM IST and 4:15 PM PKT. Sportmaax recently covered Pakistan’s dramatic one-wicket tri-series win over England in Lahore as a reminder of how quickly a so-called dead game can turn.
For Lumbini, this is about proving last season was no one-off. They finished seventh in Season 1, then produced one of the great turnarounds in franchise cricket: after losing three of their first four matches in Season 2, they won six in a row, including the playoffs, to lift the trophy. For Sudurpaschim, it is about unfinished business. They have topped the league stage in both previous seasons with a 6-1 record — and lost both finals. A win on opening night would not erase that record, but it would be the perfect statement that this third attempt is different.
Match Overview
| Match | Lumbini Lions vs Sudurpaschim Royals |
| Tournament | Nepal Premier League 2026, Match 1 |
| Date | Monday, 26 October 2026 |
| Start time | 5:00 PM NPT, 4:45 PM IST, 4:15 PM PKT |
| Venue | TU International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur |
| Format | T20 |
| Captains | Rohit Paudel (Lumbini), Dipendra Singh Airee (Sudurpaschim) |
| Season | NPL Season 3, 26 October to 21 November 2026, all at Kirtipur |
Season 3 also carries extra weight: NPL matches now hold official T20 status, so performances count in recognised T20 records, and the Decision Review System is being used in Nepal’s domestic cricket for the first time. The opening ceremony takes place at the TU Ground ahead of the match. Eight teams play 32 matches in total, with the final scheduled for 21 November 2026.
Squads
The playing XIs had not been announced before this preview was written and will only be confirmed at the toss. The squads below are the announced player pools for Season 3. Teams may field no more than four overseas players.
Lumbini Lions squad
- Rohit Paudel (captain), Sundeep Jora, Tilak Bhandari, Abhishesh Gautam, Dinesh Adhikari, Durgesh Gupta, Sher Malla, Dilip Nath, Aasif Sheikh, Aakash Tripathi, Kishore Mahato, Arniko Yadav, Ajay Chauhan, D’Arcy Short, Niroshan Dickwella, Ruben Trumpelmann, Shamim Hossain, Shadley van Schalkwyk.
Sudurpaschim Royals squad
- Dipendra Singh Airee (captain), Binod Bhandari, Aarif Sheikh, Ishan Pandey, Abinash Bohara, Hemant Dhami, Hikmat Mahara, Sachin Bhatt, Tek Rawat, Anil Kharel, Dipak Bohara, Milan Bohara, Ayub Chand, Tek Raj Thalal, Sherfane Rutherford, Saif Zaib, Brandon McMullen, Scott Kuggeleijn.
Probable Playing XIs
These are probable XIs based on the retained cores and last season’s finalists — NOT confirmed XIs. The toss will confirm the final teams.
Lumbini Lions probable XI
- D’Arcy Short, Aasif Sheikh, Sundeep Jora, Rohit Paudel (captain), Dinesh Adhikari, Niroshan Dickwella (wicketkeeper), Sher Malla, Ruben Trumpelmann, Tilak Bhandari, Durgesh Gupta, Abhishesh Gautam.
Sudurpaschim Royals probable XI
- Binod Bhandari (wicketkeeper), Ishan Pandey, Aarif Sheikh, Dipendra Singh Airee (captain), Brandon McMullen, Saif Zaib, Sherfane Rutherford, Scott Kuggeleijn, Abinash Bohara, Hemant Dhami, Milan Bohara.
Key players to watch: Rohit Paudel, the NPL’s record run-scorer across the first two seasons and the man whose hat-trick broke the last final; Dinesh Adhikari, whose 42 off 13 balls killed that final in the first over; Dipendra Singh Airee, Sudurpaschim’s captain and the rivalry’s central figure; and the two 17-wicket men from last season, Sher Malla and Abinash Bohara.
Head-to-Head Record
Sudurpaschim lead the previous NPL meetings 2-1, but Lumbini won the only match that decided a trophy.
| Meeting | Result |
| 7 December 2024 | Sudurpaschim Royals won |
| 27 November 2025 | Sudurpaschim Royals won (league stage) |
| 13 December 2025, Final | Lumbini Lions won by 6 wickets |
In the 2025 final at the same ground, Sudurpaschim chose to bat and were bowled out for just 85 in 19.1 overs. Ruben Trumpelmann took 3 for 3, Sher Malla took 3 for 18 and Rohit Paudel claimed a hat-trick in figures of 3 for 12. Lumbini then chased 86 for 4 in only nine overs, with Dinesh Adhikari smashing 42 off 13 balls, including five sixes. Ishan Pandey’s 33 off 51 was the only notable Royals contribution. That is the memory Sudurpaschim carry into this rematch — and the standard Lumbini must live up to as champions.
Pitch and Weather Report
The TU Ground in Kirtipur has traditionally helped spinners. Across men’s T20 matches at the venue, the average first-innings total is around 154, chasing sides have won about 52 percent of completed matches, and spinners have taken roughly half the wickets at under seven runs per over. For Season 3, early expectations from local coverage are for reasonably balanced pitches that may favour batters slightly, with dew under lights a possible factor in the second innings — which could make the toss, and bowling first, tempting, though it is not expected to decide the game on its own. The team that handles the middle overs with spin and variations, and holds its nerve in a low-to-par total game, is likely to win.
Weather: clear and dry in Kirtipur on match evening, with less than a five percent chance of rain during playing hours. The temperature is expected to be around 23 degrees Celsius shortly before the start, falling to about 18 to 20 degrees during the evening, with light winds and humidity rising after sunset. No rain interruption is expected.
Where to Watch and Live Streaming
In Nepal, the match is televised on Himalaya TV / Himalaya Sports and streamed on NetTV. NetTV is also listed as the worldwide streaming option. In India, FanCode is listed for streaming — check regional availability before the start, as broadcast listings can vary by region. India Women also sealed their ODI series against Zimbabwe on Sunday with twin centuries from Harmanpreet Kaur and Deepti Sharma. The match starts at 5:00 PM NPT, 4:45 PM IST and 4:15 PM PKT — check your local listings if you are watching outside Nepal and India.
FAQs
When is Lumbini Lions vs Sudurpaschim Royals in NPL 2026?
Monday, 26 October 2026, at 5:00 PM NPT (4:45 PM IST, 4:15 PM PKT).
Where is the NPL 2026 opener being played?
TU International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur, Nepal.
Who are the captains?
Rohit Paudel captains Lumbini Lions and Dipendra Singh Airee captains Sudurpaschim Royals.
Who won the last NPL final between these teams?
Lumbini Lions, by six wickets on 13 December 2025, after bowling Sudurpaschim out for 85.
Where can I watch Lumbini vs Sudurpaschim live?
Himalaya TV in Nepal and NetTV streaming worldwide; FanCode in India (check availability).
Final Summary and Conclusion
Opening night rarely tells you who will win a tournament, but this one tells you plenty about both teams. If Lumbini’s bowlers — Trumpelmann, Malla and Paudel — repeat their final-day discipline, the champions will be hard to stop. If Sudurpaschim’s batters answer the 85 all out, and their overseas core of McMullen, Zaib, Rutherford and Kuggeleijn fires, the league-stage kings can finally start a season the way they have finished the last two league stages: on top. Expect a close, low-to-par contest at Kirtipur, with the middle overs — and the dew — deciding it. Lumbini start as marginal favourites on title form, but Sudurpaschim’s 2-1 head-to-head lead is a reminder that this rivalry has rarely been one-sided.
Further reading: CricNepal’s NPL 2026 opener preview — https://www.cricnepal.com/lumbini-sudurpaschim-npl2026-preview
