Tilak Bhandari is a Nepal right-arm legbreak bowler who will play for Lumbini Lions in NPL Season 3. The only wrist-spinner in the champions’ squad, he was signed in the 2024 auction and retained twice, and he announced himself with 4 for 22 against Gandaki in June 2023 to win Player of the Match. His 3 for 15 came in the 2025 title run, alongside a List A best of 4 for 17.
Bhandari is the Lions’ point of difference: leg-spin that turns away from right-handers gives the champions a match-up weapon none of their finger spinners offer. Unlikely to start every game, he is the variation Rohit Paudel reaches for to break a stand in Nepal Premier League 2026.
About Tilak Bhandari
Tilak Bhandari is the Lumbini Lions' retained leg-spinner — the only wrist-spin in the champions' squad. The right-arm legbreak bowler from Butwal, born on 28 October 2004, represented Nepal at the 2024 ICC U19 World Cup and took 4 for 22 against Gandaki in June 2023 to win Player of the Match. Signed in the 2024 auction and retained twice since, he has now spent three straight seasons with the franchise. His 2025 contribution — three-plus wickets in five recorded games including 3 for 15 — sits alongside a domestic T20 record of ten wickets in 14 games and a List A return of 11 wickets at around 18 with a best of 4 for 17.
Player details
| Full name | Tilak Raj Bhandari |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 28 October 2004 |
| Birthplace | Butwal, Nepal |
| Country | Nepal |
| Playing role | Bowler |
| Batting style | Right-hand bat |
| Bowling style | Right-arm legbreak |
Playing style and strengths
Bhandari is a right-arm legbreak bowler, and that single fact defines his value: in a squad built on finger spin — Malla's offbreak, Gautam and Chauhan's left-arm orthodox — he is the only wrist-spinner, the only bowler who turns it the other way. His 3 for 15 in the 2025 NPL season and a List A best of 4 for 17 describe an attacking spinner who flights the ball and invites the drive, accepting the occasional boundary as the price of wickets.
He bats right-handed but is a tail-ender; his four overs are his entire case. The development arc is the standard one for young leg-spinners — control first, mystery later — and at 22, with three NPL seasons in one dressing room, he is further along it than most.
Tilak Bhandari's role at Lumbini Lions in Season 3
Bhandari is the Lions' point of difference: when the finger-spin bankers have done their containing work, his wrist-spin is the variation Rohit Paudel reaches for to break a stand. Leg-spin that turns away from right-handers gives the champions a match-up weapon none of their other spinners offer, which is why a bowler with modest raw numbers has been retained twice.
He is unlikely to start every game — Malla and Gautam own the first-choice spin slots — but on turning surfaces or against right-hand-heavy line-ups, he becomes a tactical pick. Three straight seasons with one franchise, from the 2024 auction to the Season 3 title defence, make him the young bowler the system trusts.
Tilak Bhandari at NPL 2026
Season-by-season Nepal Premier League figures for Tilak Bhandari.
| Season | Team | Matches | Runs | HS | Avg | Wkts | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NPL 2024 (Season 1) | Lumbini Lions | Not publicly aggregated | Not publicly aggregated | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | Not publicly aggregated | Not publicly available |
| NPL 2025 (Season 2) | Lumbini Lions | 5 (recorded matches) | 6 | Not publicly available | Not publicly available | 3+ (partial records) | 3/15 |
| NPL 2026 (Season 3) | Lumbini Lions | Season not yet played | — | — | — | — | — |
Tilak Bhandari career records
Available senior career figures from the structured player record.
| Format | Matches | Runs | Wickets | Best | 100s / 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domestic T20 | 14 | — | 10 | 3/15 | — |
| List A / One-day | 7 | — | 11 (avg ~18) | 4/17 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which NPL team does Tilak Bhandari play for?
Tilak Bhandari plays for the Lumbini Lions — signed in the 2024 auction and retained for 2025 and 2026.
What is Tilak Bhandari’s playing role?
He is a right-arm legbreak bowler — the squad’s only wrist-spinner.
Was Tilak Bhandari bought at the auction?
No — the Lions retained him in June 2026, so no auction price is attached to his name.
When was Tilak Bhandari born?
Tilak Raj Bhandari was born on 28 October 2004 in Butwal, Nepal.
Follow Lumbini Lions
Lumbini Lions squad lists each player’s Season 3 listing and role.
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