Pokhara Avengers Sign Mohammad Saifuddin for NPL Season 3

Pokhara Avengers have confirmed the signing of Bangladesh international all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin for the third edition of the Nepal Premier League, three days before the tournament opens in Kathmandu.

The Saifuddin Signing

Pokhara Avengers have confirmed the signing of Bangladesh international all-rounder Mohammad Saifuddin for the third edition of the Nepal Premier League. The franchise announced the deal on its official social media channels on Friday, 23 October 2026, describing it as the official signing of the Bangladesh all-rounder for NPL Season 3.

The news was carried the same evening by multiple Nepali outlets, with independent reports confirming the 29-year-old's participation in the tournament. The timing underlines how late overseas squads are still being finalised: Saifuddin's arrival was announced just three days before the season begins on 26 October, with Pokhara opening their campaign on 28 October against Sudurpaschim Royals at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur.

Saifuddin becomes the fifth overseas signing in Pokhara's squad for the season. No transfer fee or contract length has been published, which is standard for late-window franchise signings announced through social media in the NPL.

Mohammad Saifuddin's International Record

Mohammad Saifuddin is a 29-year-old left-handed batter and right-arm medium-fast bowler who has been part of Bangladesh's limited-overs set-up since 2017. He made his T20I debut against Sri Lanka and his ODI debut against South Africa in that year, and has since played 30 ODIs and 51 T20 Internationals for Bangladesh.

His ODI record stands at 362 runs at an average of 36.20, with a highest score of 51 not out, alongside 42 wickets at 31.19. In T20Is he has scored 304 runs and taken 57 wickets, with a career-best of 4 for 33. Those numbers describe the classic seam-bowling all-rounder profile: good enough with the bat to be trusted at number seven or eight, and a regular wicket-taking option through the middle overs and at the death.

Saifuddin's reputation was first made at the 2016 ICC Under-19 World Cup, where his 13 wickets made him one of the standout seamers of the tournament. He went on to feature in Bangladesh's 2019 ODI World Cup campaign and in T20 World Cup squads, and has been a regular across multiple editions of the Bangladesh Premier League. The NPL will be his first appearance in an overseas franchise league, giving the 29-year-old a new stage three days before his debut in Nepali franchise cricket. His ability to bowl in the powerplay and close out innings also makes him a natural fit for the specialist four-over roles T20 sides covet.

Pokhara's Bangladesh Contingent

Saifuddin is the third Bangladeshi overseas player in Pokhara's squad, joining former Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan and off-spinning all-rounder Mahedi Hasan. Pokhara signed Mahedi Hasan on 21 October, two days before announcing Saifuddin, and Shakib has confirmed he will be available for the full season, joining the squad on 25 October.

Alongside the two Sri Lankan all-rounders in the overseas group, Chamika Karunaratne and Dhananjaya Lakshan, Saifuddin's arrival gives Pokhara genuine all-round depth. His right-arm seam adds a different dimension to a pace attack that otherwise leans on local seamer Aakash Chand, while his lower-order hitting strengthens a batting unit built around captain Kushal Bhurtel.

The side is coached by former Sri Lanka spinner Ajantha Mendis, with former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan serving as the franchise's cricket ambassador. With a maximum of four overseas players allowed in any playing eleven and a minimum of seven Nepali players required, Pokhara's five-man overseas group gives Mendis real flexibility in picking his combinations.

Pokhara's Season 3 Campaign

Pokhara Avengers are chasing their first playoff appearance in NPL history. The franchise finished seventh in the inaugural season in 2024 and fifth in 2025, missing the playoffs on both occasions. Saifuddin's arrival forms part of a deliberate overseas rebuild aimed at finally breaking through in Season 3.

The franchise has kept a solid core of Nepali players around Bhurtel, including marquee names Sagar Dhakal, Arjun Kumal, Bipin Khatri, Aakash Chand, Kiran Thagunna and Dinesh Kharel, with further domestic talent added through the auction. The blend of that retained core with five experienced overseas all-rounders is the clearest statement yet of how Pokhara intend to compete this season.

NPL Season 3 runs from 26 October to 21 November 2026, with all matches at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. Pokhara's opener against Sudurpaschim Royals on 28 October is an early test of the new-look squad — the full NPL Season 3 schedule is live on this site, with live scores and the points table updating through the tournament.