Biratnagar Kings kicked off the second season of the Nepal Premier League in a historic fashion. Facing Pokhara Avengers on match day two, the Kings became the first team in the NPL to breach the 200-run milestone, posting a massive 220/6 and securing a comfortable 53-run victory. That dominant performance set the tone for a dream start, with the team winning their first three consecutive matches.

However, momentum had shifted by the time the Kings arrived at the TU International Cricket Stadium on Saturday to face Sudurpaschim Royals. Having suffered two losses in their previous six outings, the Kings were looking to regain their rhythm in their final league stage match. Although they had already secured a playoff berth, the challenge was immense: the Royals were the team to beat, arriving with a flawless record of six wins in six games.

The stakes were raised even higher by the arrival of South African superstar Faf du Plessis. Joining a batting lineup that already featured Martin Guptill, du Plessis sent excitement levels soaring among Kings fans and Nepali cricket lovers alike. With a star-studded lineup facing an unbeaten juggernaut, the stage was set for a classic encounter, and the fans responded, turning out in the largest numbers seen this season.

As usual, the majority of the fans were the ones supporting the players in yellow. And when the Kings started hammering the Sudurpaschim bowlers in the chase, the stadium did not have a loud noise as the majority were silent.

“As a fan, it was mesmerising to watch du Plessis bat today,” Biratnagar’s skipper Sandeep Lamichhane said after the win. “I hope the whole Biratnagar Kings fans and the Nepali cricket lovers enjoyed the batting of one of the best cricketers.”

With Biratnagar chasing 148 runs, du Plessis, who departed early for 12 off 9 on his NPL debut against Lumbini Lions on Wednesday, showed his class on Saturday as he smashed NPL’s joint-fastest fifty against the Royals. In 19 deliveries, du Plessis scored his maiden NPL fifty, that too with 44 runs coming through boundaries—five fours and four sixes.

However, a ball later after celebrating his half-century, he tried another biggy, but got clean bowled in the first ball of the 8th over by Abinash Bohara. Du Plessis’ opening pair Sam Heazlett also faced a similar pain as he too departed a ball later after celebrating his fifty. Heazlett completed his half-century in 26 deliveries on the back of three fours and four sixes.

Du Plessis and Heazlett had a 97-run partnership for the first wicket. When Heazlett was caught out by wicketkeeper Binod Bhandari in the spell of Harmeet Singh an over later, the Kings were at 111/2.

But when the Royals were thinking that they were on the verge of bouncing back, Guptill’s cameo of 22 off 9 shattered the hopes as the Kings only required 16 more runs from 59 deliveries. Guptill was run out by Dipendra Singh Airee.

Basir Ahamad (8 off 9) could not contribute much as he departed as the fourth wicket. But Lokesh Bam (3 off 4), who came down the order, stayed with Pratish GC (13 off 3), who came up the order, to complete the chase in 11.5 overs. GC smashed the fourth and fifth ball of the 12th over, by Bohara, for two consecutive sixes to complete the chase in less than 13 overs, the ceiling that would see the Kings outrun Kathmandu Gorkhas on net run rate to claim the second spot on the points table.

“We were aware of the calculation to reach the Top 2,” du Plessis told journalists. “However, as we were already in the Top 4, we had our intent clear: give our all from the beginning. In the end, the win was further in our favour.”

The Kings had opted to bowl first after winning the toss. And while Sudurpaschim openers Binod Bhandari and Josh Brown were showing chances to take the team to a big score, the former’s wicket in the fourth over by Ahamad broke the momentum. From 23/0 in three overs, the Royals were reduced to 114/3 in 16.2 overs when Ishan Pandey (38 off 35) departed after a decent knock. Brown departed in the 8th over for 24 off 25. Both Pandey and Brown were the victims of Lamichhane.

Further, after the wicket of Pandey, Lamichhane had Harmeet Singh return for a golden duck. Airee was exploding with the bat, but he too could not do much and departed for 19 off 11. Aarif Sheikh played the anchor knock for the Royals as he stayed not out at 45 off 32, his individual best in the NPL, to take the team to 147/6 at the end of the first innings.

“We made some significant changes to the team today,” Sheikh said after the loss. “Still, our aim was to win and keep our unbeaten run intact.”

The major changes Sheikh hinted on was to rest Australian Chris Lynn and New Zealand’s Scott Kuggeleijn.

“The change was to see how the young and other players would fit in the squad as we focus on the playoffs,” Sheikh informed. The Royals had already qualified for Qualifier 1, and the loss did not affect their standings. The loss only helped the Kings, who reached the Top 2 and will now face the Royals again, but now for a direct spot in the final, when the NPL returns after a day’s gap on Tuesday. Karnali Yaks will lock horns with Janakpur Bolts in the last league-stage match on Sunday.

“We will now look forward to repeating today’s performance when we face the Royals on Tuesday,” said Lamichhane. Meanwhile, Sheikh said that they would not allow today’s result to repeat on Tuesday.

Du Plessis also said that a tournament like the Nepal Premier League provides a good platform for an emerging cricketing nation like Nepal. “It is also great to see such passionate cricket fans,” he added.

Nonetheless, whatever the result in Qualifier 1, the loser will get another shot for the final as they will face the winner of the Eliminator—where Kathmandu Gorkhas will face Lumbini Lions—in Qualifier 2.

Arjun Kumal makes NPL debut

For those who follow Nepal’s under-age cricket, Arjun Kumal is one of those who can be part of the senior Nepali team in the future. It is because he has proven his cricketing skills in the times he has been given the opportunity.

An opening batter, Kumal was part of the squad when Nepal played in the 2024 U19 Men’s World Cup. His best score in that tournament was 90 off 90 against New Zealand.

Similarly, when Ireland ‘A’ toured Nepal in March last year to play three T20 and three one-day matches against Nepal ‘A’ he got to play in two one-day matches. While Kumal could only add 9 off 14 in the first one-day, he did not play in the second. But in the third, he made his mark with a ton (102 off 118).

Further, he was the leading runscorer in the 2025 Men’s PM Cup, the biggest domestic tournament of 50-over cricket in Nepal. Despite playing for Gandaki Province, the team that finished ninth in the points table out of 10 teams, Kumal, in nine matches, stood tall at 376 runs, with one century and two half-centuries, besting all the big names of the senior Nepali men’s team.

Meanwhile, Kumal was yet to feature in the NPL. He was with Sudurpaschim Royals in the inaugural season, but did not start in any match. In the second season, he was bought by Pokhara Avengers. But he was also yet to debut in the NPL as he was not in the playing set in the last six matches of Pokhara.

However, on Saturday, Kumal got his first NPL cap. And he was the one who hit the winning runs for the Avengers in their last league-stage match against Chitwan Rhinos on Saturday. He stood not out at 43 off 53 as the Avengers chased 121 runs in 19.4 overs in the loss of two wickets.

Having restricted the Rhinos, who elected to bat first, to a paltry score, the Avengers did not take chances and played the second innings in a disciplined manner. Kumal opened the chase with Adam Rossington, and the duo made a 100-run partnership for the first wicket before Rossington departed at 65 off 48.

Kumal also witnessed skipper Kushal Bhurtel depart at 4 off 10. But he stayed on the crease, not out on his first NPL match, and ran for the winning run with England’s Jason Roy (6 off 8) on the non-striker end.

Kumal’s U19 teammate Dev Khanal (35 off 41) was the highest scorer for the Rhinos. Khanal was followed by Alpesh Ramjani (33 off 22) and skipper Kushal Malla (23 off 23) as Chitwan concluded the first innings at 120/6.

“It feels great to have Arjun in the team. He has a lot of promise,” Bhurtel said after the match. “Arjun is yet to play in T20, but he has shown his abilities in one-day and domestic tournaments.”

“We tried to give opportunities to all the players. It was why Arjun, Krishna Poudel and Rohit Chand were in the squad today,” Bhurtel added.

A win was not enough to help neither Pokhara nor Chitwan reach the playoffs, as their hopes ended, alongside that of defending champions Janakpur Bolts, after the win of Lumbini Lions over the Bolts on Friday. But the Rhinos and the Avengers were looking for a win on Saturday, in their last match of the league stage, to end the campaign on a high note. And it was the Avengers who were on the happy side.