NPL 2026 Commentators: Himalaya Sports Panel List
Meet the NPL 2026 broadcast team on Himalaya Sports: Kevin O'Brien, Navneet Krishna, Bardan Chalise, special guest Shoaib Akhtar and the Maithili panel.
Season window: October 26–November 21, 2026 · Reviewed 24 October 2026
NPL 2026 Commentators bring the studio side of Season 3 into focus before a ball is bowled. The season runs 26 October to 21 November 2026 at TU Ground, Kirtipur, with 32 matches, and Himalaya Sports has built its panel around one studio show.
This page names the confirmed panel, plus the Maithili pair, and says plainly what has not been announced yet.
Quick answer
- Expert analyst: Kevin O'Brien, the former Ireland international, stays on the panel for the whole tournament.
- Presenter: Navneet Krishna hosts Red Bull Cricket Live, the pre-match and post-match show.
- Nepali voice: Bardan Chalise, a former Nepal international, joins the analysis panel.
- Special guest: Shoaib Akhtar appears on the studio show; he is not a match commentator.
- Maithili pair: Saroj Kumar Mandal and Saroj Kumar Sooryabanshi call matches in Maithili.
Himalaya Sports Panel at a Glance
The table keeps roles separate, because a studio guest and a match commentator do different jobs.
| Name | Role | What is announced |
|---|---|---|
| Kevin O'Brien | Expert analyst | Former Ireland international; on Red Bull Cricket Live through the tournament. |
| Navneet Krishna | Presenter | Hosts Red Bull Cricket Live; former Star Sports presenter. |
| Bardan Chalise | Analysis panel | Former Nepal international; ex co-owner of Lumbini All Stars and former Janakpur Bolts cricket director. |
| Shoaib Akhtar | Special guest | Studio-show guest; not a match commentator. |
| Saroj Kumar Mandal | Maithili commentator | Himalaya Sports Maithili feed for Season 3. |
| Saroj Kumar Sooryabanshi | Maithili commentator | Himalaya Sports Maithili feed for Season 3. |
Shoaib Akhtar: Studio Guest, Not Match Commentator
Akhtar's job is the studio, not the commentary box. He appears on Red Bull Cricket Live in association with Bajaj Pulsar, the pre-match and post-match programme, where he breaks down bowling and Nepali talent. He will not call every match. The earlier broadcast announcement carries the same distinction.
NPL 2026 Commentators on Himalaya Sports and NetTV
The panel belongs to Himalaya Sports television in Nepal, where it fronts the studio show around live matches. Worldwide viewers watch the matches on NetTV, but NetTV has not published its stream language, so the Himalaya panel cannot be assumed to travel with it. The where-to-watch hub keeps the two routes apart. Free ball-by-ball coverage sits on the live scores page.
NPL 2026 Match Times in NST
The panel covers every match at the same start times. The full schedule lists all 32 fixtures; rest days are 30 October and 4, 8 and 11 November.
| Fixture point | NST |
|---|---|
| Double-header, first match | 12:30 PM |
| Double-header, second match | 5:00 PM |
| Single-match day | 5:00 PM |
| Opener, 26 October: Lumbini Lions v Sudurpaschim Royals | 5:00 PM |
| Final, 21 November | 5:00 PM |
NetTV Season Pass: Price and Limits
The Nepal pass costs Rs 400 including tax for all 32 matches. The Middle East tier is Rs 600, reported as US$4, and the USA, Europe, Australia, Japan and Korea tier is US$10, listed as Rs 1,550.17 through eSewa. Other countries are priced only inside the NetTV app. Coupons work once only, stay tied to the country of purchase, cannot be refunded, and do not work on television apps or boxes.
Himalaya Sports on Television in Nepal
Inside Nepal, the television route needs no pass. Himalaya Sports, on the Himalaya Television Network, holds the Nepal linear television rights and carries all 32 matches inside an ordinary cable or DTH package. Outside Nepal, no television channel has been announced (as of 24 October 2026). Post-match highlights follow, and team pages carry fixtures.
What the Panel Announcement Leaves Open
Himalaya Sports said it plans to bring more international and Nepali personalities into the panel, so the list above is a starting panel, not a finished roster. No full match-by-match roster has been published, no Hindi commentary has been announced, and the NetTV stream language stays unconfirmed.
Frequently asked questions
Who are the NPL 2026 commentators?
Kevin O'Brien (expert analyst), Navneet Krishna (presenter), Bardan Chalise (analysis panel), Shoaib Akhtar (special guest), and Maithili pair Saroj Kumar Mandal and Saroj Kumar Sooryabanshi.
Is Shoaib Akhtar commentating?
No. Shoaib Akhtar is a special guest on the pre- and post-match show Red Bull Cricket Live, not a match commentator, and he will not call every match.
Is Kevin O'Brien on the panel?
Yes. Kevin O'Brien is Himalaya Sports' expert analyst for Season 3, featuring throughout the tournament on Red Bull Cricket Live.
Is there a Maithili panel?
Yes. Saroj Kumar Mandal and Saroj Kumar Sooryabanshi are Himalaya Sports' Maithili-language commentators for Season 3.
Conclusion
The confirmed panel is small and studio-led: one analyst, one presenter, one Nepali voice, one famous guest and a Maithili pair. Until Himalaya names its full match roster, treat any longer commentator list as unconfirmed.
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