NPL Season 2 by the numbers: what last year tells us about 2026

Before Season 3 starts, it is worth looking at what the numbers from the 2025 Nepal Premier League tell us.

Sudurpaschim Royals were the best team of the league stage by a distance, with six wins from seven matches and a net run rate of 0.832. Biratnagar Kings and Kathmandu Gorkhas both won five, and Lumbini Lions took the last playoff place with four wins, despite a negative net run rate.

Below them, Pokhara Avengers won three, Karnali Yaks and Chitwan Rhinos two each, and defending champions Janakpur Bolts only one.

The lesson is that a good league stage guarantees nothing. Lumbini, the fourth-placed side, won three knockout matches in a row to take the title, while the league leaders lost the final.

Pokhara's Adam Rossington was the leading run-scorer with 323 runs. That Pokhara still missed the playoffs shows how much the NPL rewards balanced squads over individual stars, which may be why the Avengers have spent this off-season adding all-rounders such as Shakib Al Hasan.

Three bowlers finished level on 17 wickets: Sandeep Lamichhane of Biratnagar Kings, Sher Malla of Lumbini Lions and Abinash Bohara of Sudurpaschim Royals. All three are back with the same teams this season.

Season 2 also produced the first hat-tricks in NPL history. Kathmandu's Shahab Alam took the first in Match 23. Then, in the final itself, Lumbini captain Rohit Paudel took three wickets in three balls on his way to 3 for 12 as Sudurpaschim were bowled out for 85.

Lumbini's Ruben Trumpelmann was named player of the series, capped by a spell in the final that conceded almost nothing. The Lions retained him for Season 3.

If 2025 is a guide, expect bowlers to decide most games, a tight race for fourth place, and at least one surprise in the playoffs. Sudurpaschim will be favourites to top the table again with their bowling attack intact, but as last season proved, the title is won in the knockouts.