Janakpur Bolts Rebuild for NPL Season 3 After Last-Place Finish

<a class="body-link" href="/teams/janakpur-bolts">Janakpur Bolts</a>, the champions of the inaugural Nepal Premier League, have torn up their squad and started again after finishing last in Season 2 with a single win. The Madhesh Province franchise has become the first NPL team to release its marquee player, handed the honour to leg-spinner Lalit Rajbanshi, and built a new core around captain Harmeet Singh and overseas signings <a class="body-link" href="/players/moeen-ali">Moeen Ali</a>, <a class="body-link" href="/players/james-neesham">Jimmy Neesham</a> and <a class="body-link" href="/players/iftikhar-ahmed">Iftikhar Ahmed</a>.

First Franchise to Release Its Marquee Player

No NPL story has swung harder in two seasons than Janakpur Bolts. The franchise won the inaugural title in 2024, finished second in the league stage, lost the first qualifier to Sudurpaschim Royals, then beat Karnali Yaks in the second qualifier before lifting the trophy. Yet even in that title season the Bolts were unconventional: wicketkeeper Aasif Sheikh was the marquee player, but Anil Shah was appointed captain, making Janakpur the first franchise to hand the armband to someone other than its marquee name.

The second season was a different story entirely. Janakpur won only one match and finished bottom of the table, and the response has been the most radical rebuild in the league. Ahead of Season 3, the Bolts became the first franchise to release its marquee player, parting ways with Aasif Sheikh. The Kathmandu Post reported that Aasif, the only player in the auction pool of 155 with a base price of Rs 1.5 million, was picked up by defending champions Lumbini Lions through a lucky draw when bidding reached the maximum price of Rs 2 million.

Leg-spinner Lalit Rajbanshi has been named the new marquee player. The retained core is strikingly thin: only five players stayed, the fewest of any franchise, with Anil Shah, Lalit Rajbanshi, Mayan Yadav, Bikash Agri and Aditya Mahata carried over. Only Shah and Rajbanshi survived from the group of seven the franchise had retained before the previous season. Janakpur went into the July auction with the largest purse of any team, Rs 6.62 million, according to HimalPress, which explains why the Bolts ended up doing more business than any rival. Among those let go were Kishore Mahato, Rupesh Singh and Shubha Kansakar, and the Bolts had earlier released young fast bowlers Sher Malla and Hemant Dhami after the inaugural title, both of whom went on to make an impression elsewhere.

Eight Auction Signings Led by Tirtha Raj Das

Janakpur signed eight players at the July auction, more than any other team, and the headline buy was Tirtha Raj Das, bought for Rs 1.5 million. The other auction signings were Abhishek Tiwari, Bishal Patel, Amar Singh Rautela, Rit Gautam, Santosh Karki, Ashutosh Pandey and Bishal Susling.

The pattern of the buying was clear. Despite releasing several established pace options, Janakpur focused heavily on its batting during the auction, and the side still lacks a specialist frontline fast bowler. Anil Shah is expected to take over the wicketkeeping gloves following Aasif's departure, with auction signing Santosh Karki providing cover, although his chances of making the playing XI remain uncertain. With eight buys, Janakpur did more business than any other franchise at the auction, underlining just how thin the retained core had become.

Overseas Core: Moeen, Neesham, Harmeet and Iftikhar

While the domestic squad has been reshaped, the overseas recruitment brings serious pedigree. The franchise has signed American spin-bowling all-rounder Harmeet Singh, who played for Sudurpaschim Royals in the previous two editions, and appointed him captain. Harmeet Singh's appointment as captain was confirmed in August, and he now leads the rebuild on the field.

Jimmy Neesham has returned to the franchise where he won the inaugural title, and according to Cricket Sansar he smashed 45 off 17 balls and took 2 for 30 in the 2024 Qualifier 2 that took Janakpur to the final. The team has further strengthened its overseas group with England veteran spin-bowling all-rounder Moeen Ali, a two-time World Cup winner whose signing was announced earlier this month, and experienced Pakistan batter Iftikhar Ahmed.

Iftikhar, 36, has scored 998 runs in 66 T20 Internationals for Pakistan and 6,196 runs with 97 wickets across 329 T20 matches overall, with stints in the PSL, LPL, BPL and CPL. Nepali fans know him best for the unbeaten 109 off 71 balls he struck against Nepal in the 2023 Asia Cup. With four overseas players signed, the franchise still has two overseas slots to fill, and those picks could decide whether the rebuild holds together.

Janakpur Bolts Squad 2026: Spin Strength, Pace Questions

On paper, the Janakpur Bolts squad 2026 looks deep in batting and spin but thin in pace. Three of the four overseas recruits are all-rounders, giving the team flexibility: Harmeet and Moeen offer spin options while Neesham can contribute medium-pace bowling, and Iftikhar is expected to strengthen the middle order. The spin department also includes new marquee player Lalit Rajbanshi and Aditya Mahata, so Janakpur appears well equipped in that department.

Pace bowling remains the biggest concern. Retained player Bikash Agri and auction signing Amar Singh Rautela are pace-bowling all-rounders, but neither is an established first-choice frontline bowler, and Neesham can only provide medium-pace support. Head coach Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who took charge in October 2025, has the task of turning this imbalance into a title challenge.

The batting options are plentiful. Anil Shah and Mayan Yadav are among the top-order choices, with Rit Gautam and Santosh Karki providing alternatives, while Tirtha Raj Das adds depth in the middle order alongside Moeen, Neesham, Iftikhar and Harmeet. Moeen could even be considered for an opening role if required. The pieces are there for a genuine revival; the question is whether the pace attack can carry its share when the NPL Season 3 schedule begins on October 26.

For a franchise that has been both champion and wooden-spoon holder within two seasons, Season 3 is a referendum on which identity is real.