Prime Minister Balen Shah inaugurated the third edition of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) on Monday at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, launching a tournament that will run until November 21. The opening match paired defending champions Lumbini Lions with Sudurpaschim Royals. Lumbini won the toss and elected to bowl first as the eight-team competition began with a record Rs 15 million prize for the champions and the debut of the Decision Review System (DRS).
A major celebration of Nepali sports
At the inauguration, Shah described the NPL as a major celebration of Nepali sports and extended his best wishes to the players, organizers and fans. His remarks placed the league’s opening in a wider sporting context, with the tournament bringing teams together for a national competition and giving supporters a shared event to follow through to November 21.
The third edition marks the latest chapter for the league, which has grown to include eight teams. The opening match put the reigning champions, Lumbini Lions, on the field against Sudurpaschim Royals. The toss gave Lumbini the first major decision of the contest: the side chose to bowl first, setting the opening match in motion.
The league’s schedule runs through November 21, making the inauguration the start of a multiweek competition rather than a one-day event. Teams will compete for the title and the champion’s purse, while players, organizers and fans have been included in Shah’s message of good wishes for the tournament.
Record prize and DRS debut
A Rs 15 million prize for the champion is a record for the NPL, adding a significant financial feature to this edition. The prize figure is specifically the champion’s purse; it does not represent the total prize money for all participating teams. The amount distinguishes this tournament from earlier editions and forms part of the expanded profile of the competition.
The third edition also introduces the Decision Review System for the first time in the NPL. Its debut adds a new element to the league’s match proceedings, although the opening information did not specify how or when reviews would be used during the tournament. The system’s introduction is one of the notable changes accompanying the competition’s return, alongside the record prize for the title winners.
Together, the eight-team field, the higher champion’s purse and the DRS debut give this edition several clear points of distinction. The tournament’s opening at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground brought those features into focus as Lumbini Lions and Sudurpaschim Royals began the first match. Lumbini’s decision to bowl first followed the toss, while the longer competition will continue until November 21.
Tournament opens with champions in action
Putting the defending champions in the opening fixture gave the tournament an immediate contest involving one of its established title holders. Lumbini Lions began against Sudurpaschim Royals, with the toss and choice to field marking the first on-field decision of the new edition. No result from the match was part of the inauguration announcement.
Shah’s message acknowledged the people at the heart of the event: those taking part on the field, those organizing the league and the fans supporting it. As the NPL enters its third edition, the tournament now has a defined finish date, eight competing teams and a record champion’s purse, with DRS making its first appearance in the league. The opening match in Kirtipur launched the competition and the weeks of play ahead.
