West Indies batter Sherfane Rutherford has signed for Sudurpaschim Royals, while Bangladesh batting all-rounder Shamim Hossain has joined Lumbini Lions for the third edition of the Nepal Premier League (NPL). The signings are expected to strengthen the batting and all-round options of both franchises ahead of the tournament.

The 28-year-old Rutherford is a left-handed batter who also bowls medium pace. Known for his aggressive approach in limited-overs cricket, he is particularly effective in the middle order, where he can score quickly.

Rutherford has played 31 one-day internationals and 61 T20 internationals for the West Indies, scoring 873 runs in ODIs and 1,123 in T20 internationals. His highest score in T20 internationals is 84.

Across all T20 cricket, he has scored 5,090 runs in 283 matches, including 324 sixes, at a career strike rate of 142.05.

Rutherford has played in several major franchise competitions, including the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Indian Premier League (IPL), Pakistan Super League (PSL), Bangladesh Premier League, Lanka Premier League, International League T20 and Major League Cricket.

He was part of the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots squad that won the CPL title in 2022 and Karachi Kings’ PSL title-winning team in the 2020-21 season.

In the IPL, Rutherford played 13 matches for Gujarat Titans in 2025, scoring 291 runs. He has also represented Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Although he was part of title-winning squads with Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders, he did not feature in their championship-winning campaigns.

Prakash Khadka, chief executive officer of Sudurpaschim Royals, said Rutherford’s experience and aggressive batting would strengthen the team.

“We are excited to bring an experienced and aggressive player like Sherfane Rutherford into Sudurpaschim Royals. We believe his batting ability and franchise cricket experience will strengthen the team. His presence in the NPL will also excite our supporters, and we expect him to make an important contribution to our campaign this season,” Khadka said.

Rutherford said he was looking forward to playing in Nepal and contributing to the Royals.

“I am very excited to join Sudurpaschim Royals. I am looking forward to playing in the NPL and showcasing my skills in front of Nepali supporters. My goal is to perform well with the team and give the fans exciting cricket,” he said.

Hossain, meanwhile, is an aggressive batter who can also bowl off-spin. He was part of Bangladesh’s squad that won the ICC Under-19 World Cup in 2020.

He made his T20 international debut against Zimbabwe in 2021 and his one-day international debut against Afghanistan in 2023.

Hossain has also impressed in domestic and franchise cricket. Playing for Chittagong Kings in the 2024-25 Bangladesh Premier League, he scored 352 runs and helped the team reach the final.

His ability to score quickly in the middle order, combined with his off-spin bowling, is expected to add depth to Lumbini Lions’ batting and all-round options for the new NPL season.