Neesham Benched, Warner Yet to Arrive for NPL Match 5

The fifth match of NPL season 3 began with two headline absentees at the toss: Janakpur Bolts were without Jimmy Neesham, and Kathmandu Gorkhas were still waiting for David Warner.

The Toss News in Full

New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham was on the bench as Janakpur Bolts faced Kathmandu Gorkhas in Match 5 of Nepal Premier League season 3 at Kirtipur on Wednesday. At the toss, Janakpur captain Harmeet Singh said Neesham would not play for personal reasons, OnlineKhabar reported. Bangladeshi player Saif Hassan took his place in the starting eleven.

The other headline absence was on the Kathmandu side. Australian great David Warner, the biggest overseas name signed by the capital-city franchise for season 3, had not yet arrived in Nepal for the first match. Australian all-rounder Will Bosisto was also unavailable for the opening game, leaving Kathmandu to begin their campaign without two of their four announced overseas signings.

Janakpur's Two Changes

Janakpur made two changes to their starting eleven for Match 5. Alongside the Neesham switch, Amar Singh Rautela came in for Aaditya Mahata. The changes came as Janakpur looked to bounce back from defeat in their opening game, having lost to Karnali Yaks by 19 runs in Match 3, when they were bowled out for 113 chasing 132.

Neesham's absence is a significant one for Janakpur's balance. The New Zealand all-rounder is one of the overseas signings around whom the franchise rebuilt after finishing last in Season 2 with a single win, and his replacement, Saif Hassan, stepped straight into the eleven for a day game in which Janakpur needed a first win to get their campaign moving. No further detail about Neesham's personal reasons was given at the toss, and none should be assumed.

Kathmandu's Missing Stars

Kathmandu, led by Karan KC, began their season with a reshaped overseas contingent. Australian batter Sam Heazlett was in the starting eleven, alongside United States wicketkeeper Smit Patel, Bangladeshi bowler Ripon Mondol and Pakistani all-rounder Jahandad Khan. Kathmandu also fielded Hari Shankar Shah and Sumit Maharjan in the eleven, with Dayanand Mandal and Sahil Patel, both signed at the auction, missing out.

Warner's delayed arrival was not a new development on the morning of the match. The Kathmandu Post reported on 28 October that Warner, like Karnali's South African signing David Miller, had yet to arrive, with franchises and overseas players confirming participation but reaching Kathmandu late because of national and domestic commitments that stopped teams training as a full unit before the tournament. Warner's signing had been announced as Kathmandu's headline move for season 3, alongside former India wicketkeeper-batter KS Bharat, Sri Lankan all-rounder Sahan Arachchige and Bosisto. Kathmandu had reportedly pursued Warner for some time before securing his services, and his signing generated considerable excitement among Nepali fans. For now, though, the capital-city franchise must wait for their biggest name, just as Karnali wait for Miller.

The Stakes for Match 5

For Janakpur, Match 5 was a chance to steady a campaign that started with a loss, and to do it without one of their senior overseas players. For Kathmandu, it was a first outing of the season, and a first test of a squad built around domestic experience plus the overseas players who had actually reached Kirtipur. The early points table after Match 4 had Lumbini Lions in front on net run rate, so both sides knew an early win would carry real weight in a seven-game league stage.

The Match 5 result will shape the rest of the week for both teams, and the schedule gives neither side long to dwell on it: the second match of the day, Karnali Yaks against Biratnagar Kings, was set for 5:00 PM at the same ground, with Biratnagar also chasing a first win after losing their opener to Chitwan Rhinos by eight runs.