After 27 days and 32 matches, the second edition of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) is set to conclude on Saturday as Sudurpaschim Royals and Lumbini Lions lock horns in the final for the title.

Sudurpaschim have reached the final for a second successive season, while Lumbini have progressed to the title clash for the first time after making their maiden play-off appearance.

The run to the final has seen several NPL records either broken or come under threat. Sudurpaschim won six consecutive matches in the league stage, a mark Lumbini can equal if they lift the trophy.

Run-scoring race intensifies

Saturday’s final also presents an opportunity for Sudurpaschim opener Vinod Bhandari and Lumbini captain Rohit Paudel to challenge for the tournament’s leading run-scorer award.

Binod has scored 264 runs from eight matches, while Rohit has amassed 260 from nine. Both trail Pokhara Avengers’ English batter Adam Rossington, who tops the chart with 323 runs from seven games.

With Pokhara already eliminated, Binod needs at least 60 runs and Rohit 64 in the final to overtake Rossington. Either achievement could also put them in contention for the player of the tournament award.

Binod has already struck two half-centuries, while Rohit is still searching for his first. Lumbini’s DRC Shot has 242 runs from nine matches and would require 82 in the final to surpass Rossington.

Wicket record in sight

Biratnagar captain Sandeep Lamichhane leads the wicket tally with 17, but his team will not feature in the final. Sudurpaschim’s Abinash Bohara (16 wickets) and Lumbini’s Sher Malla (14) remain in contention and will play the decider.

If either overtakes Lamichhane, they will set a new record for most wickets in a single NPL season. Last year, Sudurpaschim’s Scott Kuggeleijn and Janakpur’s Lalit Rajbanshi shared the record with 17 each.

Sudurpaschim’s Harmit Singh and Lumbini’s Ruben Trumpelmann are also in the race, both having taken 12 wickets.

Centuries dominated by overseas players

All NPL centuries so far have come from foreign players. Rossington became the third centurion with an unbeaten 108 against Karnali Yaks. Karnali’s Scottish batter Mark Watt holds the highest NPL score—114 against Lumbini—while Pokhara’s American batter Andries Gous hit 104 against Lumbini last season.

Rossington (55 balls) and Watt (41) share the record for the fastest NPL hundreds, with Gous reaching three figures in 54 balls. Karnali’s Priyank Panchal narrowly missed out after being dismissed for 90 against Chitwan.

Behind the stumps and on the ropes

As a wicketkeeper, Binod Bhandari leads the dismissals chart with 10—seven catches and three stumpings—making him the most successful catcher in the competition. Rossington and Biratnagar’s Lokesh Bam follow with four catches each, while Kathmandu’s John Simpson leads stumpings with four.

Rossington also dominates the boundary count, having struck 31 fours and 19 sixes, scoring 238 runs through boundaries alone. Vinod Bhandari and DRC Shot are next with 23 fours each.

Karnali’s Mark Watt leads the six-hitting list with 21, along with 13 fours. During his 114 against Lumbini, Watt scored 96 runs in boundaries, including 12 sixes and six fours.

With individual milestones and team glory on the line, Saturday’s final promises a fitting end to an eventful NPL season.