The second season of the Nepal Premier League, which commenced on November 17, concluded on Saturday with Lumbini Lions winning the tournament. Throughout the tournament, thousands travelled to the national capital from their home provinces to cheer for their favourite teams, while others who couldn’t, enjoyed the matches from the comfort of their homes. Their love for the tournament was unmatched as they wholeheartedly embraced the ‘Festival of Himalayas’. It became a medium for collective joy, especially in the aftermath of the traumatic Gen Z uprising during which 76 people were killed.

There were many doubts about the viability of such a big tournament in the post-revolt period. Security was a big concern. Yet after the first few days of the tournament, it became clear that the event was uniting Nepalis from across the country, and people of all walks of life were happily embracing it. There were very few rowdy incidents, and the whole tournament took place in a festive atmosphere. This sense of joy transcended boundaries. The tournament, broadcast through Star Sports and other OTT platforms around the world, was widely acclaimed abroad as well—the fan following for the event, and for cricket in general, impressing one and all.

At a time when many sports have faced difficulties in finding sponsors in Nepal, the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) reportedly earned at least Rs400 million from this season. The T20 franchise cricket tournament has, since its first season, been able to attract big sponsors. Such earning in turn has translated into things like floodlights and proper seating for the TU cricket ground. As infrastructure has improved, so has the level of international players and commentators coming to Nepal to experience cricket. Amid uncertainty brought about by the September uprising, the event’s goal was to ‘prove Nepal is back to normal’—and it most certainly has done just that.

Nepalis, together, have sent a strong message to the world about how sports can be a great healer in difficult times. The tournament was also proof that many things might divide Nepalis, yet they still have enough commonalities to celebrate together, and to pull through after hard times. And the future only looks rosier still. Ultimately, all the playing teams in the NPL can be expected to have their own stadiums, in their native places, in what will be a home-and-away format. That will help with the growth of grassroots cricket and the nurturing of young talent. It will also increase the ownership of the game and cricket teams in each province.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) had in July declared Nepal as the host for the Global Qualifier for the 2026 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup. But it wanted to see how the second season of the NPL, as well as the country’s situation, would unfold before making a final call. Such doubts must now have been dispelled. In fact, the consensus is that Nepal is on its way to developing as a vibrant—and perhaps the most beautiful—cricket destination in South Asia. Evidence for that is growing by the day.