Two matches will be played today in the third edition of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) 2026, the Twenty20 cricket tournament hosted by the Cricket Association of Nepal, with all of the day's action taking place at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. Janakpur Bolts will face Kathmandu Gurkhas in the first fixture of the double-header at 12:30 pm, before Karnali Yaks take on Biratnagar Kings in the evening match at 5 pm. Janakpur, who lost their opening match of the tournament, will be looking for their first win when they return to the field this afternoon.
A Full Day of NPL Action in Kirtipur
Both of today's fixtures will be staged at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, giving spectators a full card of Twenty20 cricket running from early afternoon into the evening. As reported by Onlinekhabar, the schedule for the day is as follows:
- First match: Janakpur Bolts vs Kathmandu Gurkhas, starting at 12:30 pm
- Second match: Karnali Yaks vs Biratnagar Kings, starting at 5 pm
Double-headers have become a familiar feature of franchise Twenty20 cricket, packing two results into a single day and offering fans who cannot attend an afternoon game a second opportunity to watch live action later in the evening. With all four of today's participating franchises, Janakpur Bolts, Kathmandu Gurkhas, Karnali Yaks and Biratnagar Kings, sharing the same ground, the Kirtipur venue will once again be at the centre of the tournament's daily narrative.
The staging of both matches at one venue also simplifies the day for followers of the league, with the 12:30 pm start leading directly into the 5 pm evening fixture. My Republica and Khabarhub have both flagged the double-header among the day's key sporting events in Nepal.
Janakpur Bolts Chasing Their First Win
The afternoon match carries particular significance for Janakpur Bolts. The side went down in their opening match of NPL 2026 and will be looking to register their first win of the third edition when they meet Kathmandu Gurkhas at 12:30 pm. In a Twenty20 tournament, where the schedule moves quickly and momentum can shift from one match to the next, getting off the mark early is a priority for any franchise, and Janakpur's opening defeat makes this fixture an important one for their campaign.
Kathmandu Gurkhas stand between Janakpur and that first win. The preview coverage available ahead of the game has focused largely on how the Bolts respond to their early setback, with the team's search for a first victory framed as the central storyline of the 12:30 pm encounter. A victory this afternoon would allow Janakpur to reset their tournament and head into the rest of the third edition with a positive result behind them.
For the Gurkhas, the match offers the chance to claim the points on offer in the afternoon fixture and to deny a fellow franchise the boost of a first win. With both sides sharing the Kirtipur ground for the day's opening game, the result will set the tone before the evening fixture begins.
Yaks and Kings Close Out the Double-Header
The day's second match brings together Karnali Yaks and Biratnagar Kings, with the first ball scheduled for 5 pm at the same TU International Cricket Ground. The fixture completes the double-header and gives the evening crowd its own contest to follow, separate from the afternoon's Janakpur-Kathmandu meeting.
For both the Yaks and the Kings, the 5 pm start represents another opportunity to add early points in the third edition of the league. Twenty20 cricket's short format means that a single result can quickly change the outlook of a campaign, and both franchises will treat the Kirtipur evening fixture as a chance to shape their tournament in a positive direction. The match also rounds off a day in which every one of the four teams involved in the double-header leaves the ground with a result recorded.
The Third Edition of Nepal's T20 League
The Nepal Premier League is a Twenty20 tournament hosted by the Cricket Association of Nepal, and the 2026 season marks its third edition. The league's franchises carry the names of regions and cities across the country, and today's schedule showcases four of them in action at a single venue: Janakpur Bolts and Kathmandu Gurkhas in the afternoon, followed by Karnali Yaks and Biratnagar Kings in the evening.
The tournament's Twenty20 format, in which each side bats for a single innings of limited overs, keeps matches compact and results frequent, allowing the league to stage two full fixtures in one day, as it does at Kirtipur today. With the third edition now under way, the double-header gives fans an early window into how the competing franchises are shaping up.
Both matches today will be played at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, with the first beginning at 12:30 pm and the second at 5 pm, meaning supporters can settle in for a full day of NPL 2026 cricket from the afternoon through to the evening.