Lumbini Lions Bank on Champion Core for NPL Title Defence

Defending champions Lumbini Lions will go into NPL Season 3 with their title-winning core intact, retaining captain Rohit Paudel, seven Nepali players in all, three overseas players and the coach who guided them to the crown.

From last place to champions

Lumbini Lions are the team that have experienced both extremes of the Nepal Premier League in its first two editions, finishing bottom in the inaugural season before making a remarkable comeback to lift the title in the second. Led by former national team captain Rohit Paudel and backed by a strong group of overseas players, Lumbini transformed their fortunes in the second edition, learning from a disappointing first season and emerging as champions.

The title-winning campaign last season was far from straightforward. After winning just one of their opening four matches, Lumbini faced the prospect of an early exit. They began with a victory over Chitwan Rhinos but then lost three consecutive matches against Karnali Yaks, Kathmandu Gorkhas and Sudurpaschim Royals. The recovery that followed is now the foundation of the title defence: Lumbini won their final three league matches against Pokhara Avengers, Biratnagar Kings and Janakpur Bolts, finished fourth with eight points from seven matches, and reached the playoffs as the lowest-ranked qualifier.

From there, the run only grew more improbable. Lumbini defeated Kathmandu Gorkhas in the eliminator and Biratnagar Kings in the second qualifier to reach the final, where Sudurpaschim Royals were waiting for a second consecutive final appearance. Lumbini denied them the title, winning by six wickets to complete a turnaround from wooden spoon to champions in the space of one season. The franchise also organised the Red Paltan Championship ahead of the third season, giving young cricketers from Lumbini Province a platform to showcase their talent.

Retained championship core

For the third edition, Lumbini have retained seven Nepali players from the title-winning squad: captain Paudel, Sher Malla, Sandeep Jora, Tilak Bhandari, Abhishek Gautam, Dinesh Adhikari and Dilip Nath. Each played an important role in the championship campaign, and Malla in particular was among the leading wicket-takers, claiming 17 wickets to share the tournament's top spot.

The franchise have also retained the three overseas players who contributed to the title-winning run: Australia's D'Arcy Short, Namibia's Ruben Trumpelmann and Sri Lankan wicketkeeper-batter Niroshan Dickwella. Keeping that group together should help Lumbini preserve the team chemistry that proved crucial last season, when a side that started slowly grew stronger with every must-win game. They have also retained Indian coach Tinu Yohannan, who guided the side to the championship in the second edition.

Auction additions at the top

Lumbini have strengthened the squad through the auction as well as through retentions, and the headline addition is Nepal opener Aasif Sheikh, whose release by Janakpur Bolts attracted considerable attention. Seven teams placed bids for Aasif, with Chitwan Rhinos the exception, before a lucky draw awarded the opener to Lumbini. The signing gives the Lions an experienced domestic opener and could help resolve a weakness at the top of the batting order.

Aasif is expected to open alongside Short, while Paudel and Jora will provide options in the middle order alongside Dickwella. That combination pairs a proven international opener with Nepal's established opening batter, and it leaves the middle order to players who already know each other's games from the title run.

Lumbini also secured former Janakpur players Kishore Mahato and Araniko Yadav through the auction, with Mahato joining the franchise after another lucky draw. The Lions additionally signed young medium pacer Durgesh Gupta, who was part of the franchise during the first two editions, and Ajay Chauhan, another young player from Lumbini Province. Together, the auction picks deepen the domestic base without disturbing the championship spine.

Three overseas slots still open

Beyond the retained trio, Lumbini have added Bangladesh all-rounder Shamim Hossain and United States all-rounder Shadley van Schalkwyk, as reported in the Kathmandu Post's season preview, taking the overseas group to five. Shamim's arrival was announced on October 23, and with three overseas slots still to fill, Lumbini could look to add a finisher or an all-rounder to further strengthen the batting and provide additional flexibility.

The bowling attack already has a clear shape. Nepali spinners Malla, Bhandari and Gautam carry the spin load, while Trumpelmann will lead the overseas pace options. Adding another medium pacer and an all-rounder could further improve the balance of the defending champions, giving Yohannan options for both the powerplay and the death overs without weakening the batting.

Opener against Sudurpaschim Royals

Lumbini will enter the third edition aiming to show that their title-winning campaign was the beginning of a sustained run rather than a one-season turnaround. The test comes immediately: on October 26 the defending champions face Sudurpaschim Royals in the opener at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, a rematch of last season's final.

Every fixture is listed on the NPL schedule, and the points table will begin to take shape from the first double-header. Fans can follow the Lions' defence ball by ball through the NPL live scores page, starting with a final rematch that will show quickly whether the champion core still has the same edge.