Experience over youth: how NPL teams have spent their overseas slots for 2026

Look down the list of overseas players signed for the third Nepal Premier League and one pattern stands out: most of them are experienced players in the later stages of their careers.

Kathmandu Gorkhas have David Warner, a winner of two ODI World Cups and a T20 World Cup. Pokhara Avengers have Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh's greatest all-rounder. Janakpur Bolts have former England all-rounder Moeen Ali, plus 36-year-old Pakistan batter Iftikhar Ahmed and 35-year-old Jimmy Neesham. Lumbini Lions have kept Sri Lanka's Niroshan Dickwella, and Sudurpaschim Royals have brought back New Zealand's Scott Kuggeleijn for a third season.

Several of these players have retired from international cricket and now play in T20 leagues around the world.

There are good reasons for franchises to choose this route.

First, the season is short. Each team plays only seven league matches, so there is no time to wait for a young player to adapt. Proven T20 players are more likely to contribute from the first game.

Second, conditions at Kirtipur reward know-how. Many matches finish in the evening, and players who have performed in similar conditions in South Asia, as Iftikhar, Shakib and Moeen have, bring useful experience.

Third, there is the crowd. A famous name sells tickets and attracts viewers, and with the league's media and ticketing rights now worth more than Rs 335 million, star power matters commercially as well as on the field.

Experience comes with drawbacks. Older players can be more prone to injury, and players who appear in several leagues may not be available for the whole season. Nepali media have already reported doubts over whether Shakib will play every match for Pokhara.

There is also a balance to strike. The NPL was created partly to give young Nepali cricketers a stage, and the first season's breakout star was 16-year-old Bipin Sharma. Overseas veterans help most when they lift the local players around them rather than replace them.

Janakpur have gone furthest, filling all four overseas places with experienced all-rounders after finishing last in 2025. Lumbini and Sudurpaschim have chosen continuity, keeping overseas players who already know their teams. Kathmandu have spent their biggest slot on one superstar opener.

We will start to find out which approach works on 26 October.