Binod Bhandari is a Nepali wicketkeeper-batter who will represent Sudurpaschim Royals in NPL Season 3 after the club retained him once more. He wore Nepal's first-ever T20I cap, number one against Hong Kong in March 2014, and his 201 runs from eight matches at a strike rate of 107.49 made him the club's most productive Season 2 bat. At 36 he is the squad's elder statesman, and his 2026 Prime Minister Cup form of 189 against Koshi and a century against Sudurpashchim says the bat is still producing.
In Nepal Premier League 2026, Bhandari anchors the top order and brings calm to a three-way gloves contest with Dipak Bohara and Tek Rawat. The Royals kept him because experience wins short tournaments.
About Binod Bhandari
Binod Bhandari is the Royals' retained wicketkeeper-batter and the most productive bat the club kept, with 201 runs from eight matches in the reported Season 2 figures at a strike rate of 107.49, including 20 fours and six sixes. Born in Kanchanpur in January 1990, he is a Nepal veteran who earned the country's first-ever T20I cap, number one, against Hong Kong in March 2014, and he captains Tribhuwan Army Club, for whom he is the club's all-time highest Prime Minister Cup run-scorer. At 36 he is the squad's elder statesman, and his 2026 Prime Minister Cup form, 189 against Koshi in April followed by a century against Sudurpashchim, says the bat is still producing. He scored 23 from 20 balls in the franchise's first-ever NPL match.
Playing style and strengths
Bhandari's game is top-order accumulation with the gloves as his second currency. The Season 2 split, 20 fours against six sixes, marks him as a timer of the ball rather than a slogger, working gaps in the powerplay and anchoring through the middle overs at a strike rate of 107.49. As a right-hand batter he gives the Royals a settled opening or number-three option, the platform that lets Airee, McMullen and Zaib attack later. Behind the stumps he keeps to the full range of the Royals attack: Kuggeleijn's new-ball pace, Bohara's death yorkers and Zaib's slow left-arm spin. Twelve years after Nepal's first T20I cap, his keeping and game-reading remain the standard the two auction-bought keepers are measured against.
Binod Bhandari's role at Sudurpaschim Royals in Season 3
In Season 3 Bhandari is the incumbent in the squad's most contested position. The Royals spent 12 lakh at the auction on keeping, 10 lakh on Dipak Bohara and 2 lakh on Tek Rawat, which means the 36-year-old starts the season with genuine challengers for the first time. But incumbency and form are on his side: he was the Royals' highest run-scorer in the reported Season 2 figures, and the April 2026 PM Cup hundreds came months before the auction. For captain Airee, Bhandari offers something neither challenger can, a keeper who has batted in the top three through two runners-up campaigns and knows every bowler in the squad. If he holds the gloves, the Royals keep their most experienced top-order bat; if not, he becomes the senior pro pushing standards from the dugout.
Player details
| Full name | Binod Bhandari |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 25 January 1990 |
| Birthplace | Kanchanpur, Nepal |
| Country | Nepal |
| Playing role | Wicketkeeper-batter |
| Batting style | Right-hand bat |
Binod Bhandari at NPL 2026
Verified season-by-season NPL figures for Binod Bhandari. Figures marked unavailable were not published in the verified record behind this page.
| Season | Team | Matches | Runs | HS | Avg | Wkts | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NPL 2024 (Season 1) | Sudurpaschim Royals | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly available |
| NPL 2025 (Season 2) | Sudurpaschim Royals | 8 | 201 | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | — | — |
| NPL 2026 (Season 3) | Sudurpaschim Royals | Season not yet played | — | — | — | — | — |
Records & achievements
- 201 runs from eight matches in the reported Season 2 figures — the Royals' most productive batter
- Earned Nepal's first-ever T20I cap (number one) against Hong Kong in March 2014
- 189 for Tribhuwan Army Club against Koshi in the Prime Minister Cup in April 2026, followed by a century against Sudurpashchim
- 23 from 20 balls in the franchise's first-ever NPL match, the 90-run win over Biratnagar Kings
- Captains Tribhuwan Army Club and is the club's all-time highest PM Cup run-scorer
Frequently Asked Questions
Which team does Binod Bhandari play for in NPL Season 3?
Sudurpaschim Royals, who retained him ahead of the Season 3 auction.
What is Binod Bhandari's playing role?
Wicketkeeper-batter. He is a right-hand batter who keeps wicket and bats in the top order.
How many runs did Binod Bhandari score in the reported NPL Season 2 figures?
201 runs from eight matches at a strike rate of 107.49, with 20 fours and six sixes — the highest tally on the Royals' reported list.
How old is Binod Bhandari?
He was born on 25 January 1990 in Kanchanpur, Nepal, making him 36 as of October 2026.
Follow Sudurpaschim Royals
Sudurpaschim Royals squad lists every player and how each one joined the Season 3 side.
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