CAN Urges Fans to Shun Piracy for NPL Season 3 Streams

The Cricket Association of Nepal has issued a direct appeal to supporters on the eve of the new season: watch the tournament through official channels, and leave pirated streams alone.

Paras Khadka's video message

As excitement builds for the third edition of the Nepal Premier League, the Cricket Association of Nepal has issued a vital appeal to supporters in Nepal and around the world: say no to piracy, support Nepalese cricket. In a special video message, CAN secretary Paras Khadka urged fans to refrain from using unauthorised streams and instead tune in to the tournament through official broadcasting and OTT platforms.

The message is deliberately simple, and it arrives at the moment it matters most: the day before the season begins, when demand for streams is at its highest and the temptation to click an unofficial link is strongest. Khadka's appeal does not threaten or lecture; it asks supporters to make a choice that directly affects the game they are watching. Every view on an official channel, the message argues, is a vote for the tournament's future, while every pirated stream takes money out of the system that produces the cricket in the first place.

Official broadcast partners

CAN's message names three official routes, and the distinction between them matters for fans in different places. In Nepal, Himalaya Sports is the official television broadcaster, carrying matches on regular television. For streaming, NetTV is the official OTT provider, offering mobile and online live streaming for viewers in Nepal and worldwide, and it is the route the league points international fans towards in its streaming coverage. For international television, CAN's message also names Star Sports.

Fans should check the official listing for their own country before the first ball, since carriage can vary by territory, but the principle Khadka sets out is territory-free: if a stream is not on one of the named official platforms, it is not supporting Nepalese cricket. That clarity is useful in a season when unofficial links multiply fastest around the biggest matches, starting with the opener itself. The season schedule lists all 32 matches at a single venue, so the official routes cover the whole tournament, not just selected games.

Revenue link to grassroots cricket

Khadka's argument is not about enforcement for its own sake; it is about where the money goes. According to the report of his message, curbing illegal streams and choosing official channels is essential for the long-term growth and sustainability of the sport in Nepal. Revenue from official viewership and subscriptions directly fuels CAN's operations, and official broadcasting funds go back into developing Nepalese cricket, improving facilities and nurturing upcoming talent.

He put it plainly: controlling piracy is important because official viewing directly supports CAN, the development of Nepalese cricket, and its overall revenue system. Khadka also highlighted that subscription costs for streaming platforms are kept minimal, so that every fan can access high-quality matches legally. The point is aimed squarely at the usual excuse for piracy, that legal access is too expensive or too difficult: in this tournament, the official route is presented as affordable, available on a phone, and directly tied to the grassroots game.

Season opener context

The appeal lands on the eve of a season that carries more official weight than any NPL before it. The third edition runs from October 26 to November 21 at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, with eight franchises contesting 32 matches. The opener, on Monday, October 26, at 5:00 PM, sees defending champions Lumbini Lions take on Sudurpaschim Royals, a repeat of last season's final, and the live scores hub will track the tournament from that first ball.

That context raises the stakes of the piracy appeal. This is the first NPL season played with ICC sanction and official T20 status, as reported in our report on the ICC sanction, so every run and wicket now counts in official career records. A tournament that has fought for that recognition, and for the stricter eligibility and anti-corruption standards that come with it, is asking its audience to match that professionalism by watching it properly. As the points table race begins at Kirtipur, the message from CAN is that supporting Nepalese cricket starts with something simple: watch it where the game itself gets paid. Kirtipur is dressed up and ready for the opener, and the official broadcasts will carry it from there.