Lumbini Lions won their first Nepal Premier League (NPL) title on Saturday after defeating Sudurpaschim Royals by six wickets in the final match at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur.
The final brought an end to the second season of the league, which featured 32 matches played over 27 days.
Lumbini chased a small target of 86 runs and reached it comfortably in nine overs, losing four wickets. The victory was historic for the team, which had finished last in the first season of the league. Their win marked the most impressive comeback stories in the NPL.
The second edition of the Nepal Premier League generated more than NPR 1 billion (USD 7-8 million) in revenue for the economy. The revenue came from ticket sales, sponsorships, broadcasting rights, tourism, hospitality services, and increased local business activity during the league.
Sudurpaschim Royals won the toss and chose to bat first, but their decision proved costly. Their batting line-up struggled against Lumbini’s pace attack and was bowled out for just 85 runs in 19.1 overs. It was the lowest total ever recorded in an NPL final. Lumbini captain Rohit Paudel played a key role with the ball, taking a hat-trick that broke the Royals’ middle order. Ruben Trumpelmann and Sher Malla supported him well, as the three bowlers shared most of the wickets.
Ishan Pandey was the top scorer with 33 runs for Sudurpaschim. Captain Dipendra Singh Airee added 13, but the rest of the batters failed to make an impact, as wickets fell regularly.
Lumbini began the chase in action. Opener Dinesh Adhikari set the momentum by hitting four sixes in the first over and scoring a quick 42 runs off just 13 balls. He and D’Arcy Short put together a 58-run opening stand that put Lumbini firmly in control. After both openers were dismissed, Paudel and Niroshan Dickwella calmly guided the team closer to victory. Dilip Nath later scored the winning run to seal the match.
Trumpelmann was named Player of the Tournament, while Paudel received awards for Best Nepali Player and Best Batter. Lumbini earned NPR 11 million (USD 76,150) in prize money, while runners-up Sudurpaschim received NPR 5.1 million (USD 35,306).
