Chitwan Rhinos hand the Kings, who were on a three-match winning streak, their first loss of the season with experienced Bopara leading with the bat and youngster Ranjit Kumar taking the helm with the ball.

Biratnagar stun Janakpur Bolts in a low-scoring thriller, while Sudurpaschim outplay Karnali Yaks, ensuring the race for the top spot remains a deadlock between the two unbeaten sides.

In Saturday’s other fixture, Biratnagar Kings conquer Kathmandu Gorkhas by five wickets.

Sudurpaschim Royals defeat Pokhara Avengers by 18 runs in a packed TU Stadium, mostly with the Royals’ 12th man backing the players in yellow.

The Lions, who finished last in the inaugural season with only a win in seven matches, roar to life at the start of the second season.

After setting a 148-run target, the Royals bundle out the Gorkhas for 118 in 16.5 overs in a match that saw a remarkable all-round performance from Harmeet Singh.

Biratnagar Kings and Pokhara Avengers’ fixture, which was played after Chitwan Rhinos’ four-wicket win over Karnali Yaks, also saw the highest match aggregate for NPL.

The opening match on Monday was played in an upgraded TU ground featuring floodlights and concrete grandstands.

As the second Nepal Premier League kicks off under the TU International Cricket Stadium’s newly-installed floodlights, the cricket player-turned-administrator outlines the challenges, opportunities and ambitions driving the league forward.

The Post takes a look at the key foreign players who will be debuting in the NPL and spicing up the ‘Festival of Himalayas’.

With Rs400 million in expected earnings, improved stadium, and 23 night matches, the NPL aims to showcase Nepal’s readiness for international events while delighting fans.

With Laligurans’ perfect defensive run, three joint top scorers and tight races across both groups, the ANFA President League moves into the semifinals. Meanwhile, uncertainty still surrounds when the National League will actually kick off.

That the top-tier league has been played solely in Kathmandu throughout its history has limited the number of fans and the clubs’ financial prospects.

In a meeting broadcast live by the Ministry of Youth and Sports on Tuesday, ANFA, clubs and NFPA agree to organise the League, after a two-season hiatus, within four months.

Nepal’s men’s football team set off to Malaysia via Bangladesh for AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers on Tuesday, days after they took to the streets to protest ANFA’s perceived apathy.