Janakpur Bolts rebuild after last-place finish, with Chanderpaul in charge and Lalit Rajbanshi at the core
Janakpur retained only five players and let Aasif Sheikh go. Here is how the first NPL champions have reshaped their squad for Season 3.
Twelve months ago Janakpur Bolts went into the second Nepal Premier League as defending champions. They finished it bottom of the table, with a single win from seven league matches. For Season 3 the club has chosen a fresh start rather than small changes.
Fewest retentions in the league
Before the auction each franchise could keep players from last season. Five teams retained seven players each, Kathmandu Gorkhas and Biratnagar Kings kept six, and Janakpur kept only five, the fewest of any side, according to The Kathmandu Post.
The most notable departure was Aasif Sheikh. The national team wicketkeeper and opener had been Janakpur's marquee player and was part of their 2024 title win, when he made 33 off 19 balls in the final. Released by the Bolts, he went into the auction with the highest base price in the pool and was bought by defending champions Lumbini Lions for Rs 2 million, the maximum allowed.
Lalit Rajbanshi at the centre
With Sheikh gone, left-arm spinner Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi becomes the face of the local squad. He was the best bowler of the first season with 17 wickets and is now the obvious leader of the local attack. He is joined by retained players including Anil Sah, Mayan Yadav, Aaditya Mahata and Bikash Aagri. Mayan Yadav was at the crease when Janakpur completed the chase in the 2024 final.
The rebuilt squad also includes a group of younger domestic all-rounders, among them Abhishek Tiwari, Amar Singh Rautela and Bishal Patel.
A West Indies great as head coach
The man in charge is Shivnarine Chanderpaul, one of the most respected batters of his generation, who scored more than 11,000 Test runs for the West Indies. His job is to turn a mix of experienced overseas players and young Nepali talent into a team that can compete for the playoffs again.
Four overseas players
Janakpur's overseas group is the strongest it has been. USA international Harmeet Singh has been named captain, New Zealand's Jimmy Neesham returns after starring in the 2024 title run, Pakistan's Iftikhar Ahmed adds middle-order experience, and former England all-rounder Moeen Ali completes the set.
The fixtures ahead
Janakpur open their campaign against Karnali Yaks on 27 October at 4:30 PM. Their seven league matches also include Kathmandu Gorkhas on 29 October, Pokhara Avengers on 1 November, Biratnagar Kings on 3 November and Lumbini Lions on 5 November. After last season, a good start matters: the top four after 28 league matches go through to the playoffs.
