Anil Kumar Sah is a Nepali wicketkeeper-batter retained by Janakpur Bolts for NPL Season 3, the continuity link to the franchise's first title. He captained Janakpur to the inaugural 2024 NPL championship after the club secured him for Rs 1.5 million at the inaugural auction, the most expensive player sold there. In August 2026 he was named to lead Nepal A in the Top End T20 Series.
In the Nepal Premier League 2026, his role is influence as much as innings. Under Harmeet Singh, Sah is the senior professional every young Bolts batter will watch: the only man in the squad who has captained this franchise to an NPL title, projected in the top three as the right-handed anchor.
About Anil Kumar Sah
Anil Kumar Sah is the retained senior of Janakpur Bolts, the captain who led the franchise to its inaugural 2024 NPL title. Janakpur paid Rs 1.5 million for him at the inaugural auction — the most expensive player sold there — securing him through a lucky draw after all eight franchises showed interest. He moves into Season 3 under new single captain Harmeet Singh after a Season 2 of shared captaincy. A wicketkeeper-batter who has even bowled in league games — two overs for 23 against Karnali Yaks in Season 2 — he is the continuity link from the championship core. His standing in Nepali cricket keeps rising: in August 2026 he was named to lead Nepal A in the Top End T20 Series.
Player details
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Anil Kumar Sah |
| Birthplace | Kalaiya, Bara, Nepal |
| Batting style | Right-hand bat |
| Bowling style | Right-arm off-break |
Playing style and strengths
Anil Sah is a right-handed wicketkeeper-batter whose game is built for the top order. He takes guard with an open stance and scores square of the wicket on both sides, strong on the cut and pull against pace — the shots that made him Janakpur's inaugural-auction prize. His keeping is his first skill: he stands up to the stumps against the spinners who dominate Janakpur's attack, and his glovework has been trusted through two NPL seasons and Nepal A duty. As a batter he is an initiator rather than an anchor, looking to score from ball one, which is why he has opened and batted in the top three for the Bolts.
His occasional bowling — right-arm medium, used for two overs against Karnali in Season 2 — is a genuine emergency option rather than a gimmick, a sign of the all-round cricket intelligence that made him a title-winning captain. Behind the stumps he reads spinners well, an underrated asset in a squad where Harmeet Singh, Lalit Rajbanshi and Aaditya Mahata will bowl the bulk of the middle overs.
Anil Kumar Sah's role at Janakpur Bolts in Season 3
In Season 3, Anil Sah's role is influence as much as innings. With Harmeet Singh taking the captaincy, Sah becomes the senior professional every young Bolts batter will watch: the only man in the squad who has captained this franchise to an NPL title. Tactically he projects in the top three as the right-handed anchor around which the overseas hitters — Moeen Ali, Iftikhar Ahmed — rotate, and his keeping gives Harmeet a genuine selection call: Sah's experience behind the stumps against auction-buy Santosh Karki's youth, with the gloves likely deciding one XI slot.
Even if Karki keeps, Sah's batting alone demands a place. His deeper value is structural: a first-time Janakpur captain in Harmeet gets a deputy who knows the Bolts' dressing room, the TU Ground, and exactly what a title run requires. Championship squads are rarely just eleven players; Sah is the institutional memory of this one.
Anil Kumar Sah at NPL 2026
Season-by-season Nepal Premier League figures for Anil Kumar Sah.
| Season | Team | Matches | Runs | HS | Avg | Wkts | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NPL 2024 (Season 1) | Janakpur Bolts | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available |
| NPL 2025 (Season 2) | Janakpur Bolts | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available |
| NPL 2026 (Season 3) | Janakpur Bolts | Season not yet played | — | — | — | — | — |
Anil Kumar Sah career records
Available senior career figures from the structured player record.
| Format | Matches | Runs | Wickets | Best | 100s / 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI | 17 | 403 | — | — | 1/4 |
| T20I | 14 | 218 | — | — | 0/0 |
| LA | 22 | 453 | — | — | 1/4 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which team does Anil Kumar Sah play for?
He plays for Janakpur Bolts in NPL Season 3, where he is a retained player.
What is his role in the squad?
He is a wicketkeeper-batter and the senior of the championship-winning core; he captained the franchise to the inaugural 2024 title.
Who is the captain for Season 3?
Harmeet Singh was appointed as the single captain for Season 3, with Sah moving into a senior-player role.
What did Janakpur pay for him originally?
Rs 1.5 million at the inaugural NPL auction, making him the most expensive player sold there. After all eight franchises showed interest, Janakpur secured him through a lucky draw.
Follow Janakpur Bolts
Janakpur Bolts squad lists each player's recruitment status separately. Auction prices apply only to the listed auction transaction; they are not a career salary or a retained-player fee.
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