Chitwan Rhinos
Bharatpur's Nepal Premier League franchise, captained by Kushal Malla. The Rhinos reached the Eliminator in their debut season and are chasing a first title in Season 3.
The Chitwan Rhinos are a Nepal Premier League franchise based in Bharatpur, Chitwan, and captained by Kushal Malla. The club reached the Eliminator in Season 1 (2024) and finished seventh in Season 2 (2025).
In this page, you will read about the full Chitwan Rhinos squad 2026 — every confirmed player, the Season 3 fixtures, the club's season-by-season record and the latest Rhinos news.
2026 Season Outlook
- Entity Profile: Chitwan Rhinos is a professional T20 franchise in the Nepal Premier League, based in Bharatpur, Chitwan.
- Latest Updates: At the July 6, 2026 auction the Rhinos bought all-rounder Bibek Kumar Yadav for NPR 15 lakh.
- Season 3 Squad: Kushal Malla captains the side, with Sikandar Raza and Ravi Bopara in the middle order and Kaleem Sana in the bowling attack.
Quick Facts
| Founded | 2024 |
| Captain | Kushal Malla |
| NPL Titles | 0 |
| Owner | Chitwan Medical College |
| Franchise Fee | NPR 1.76 Crore |
| Home City | Chitwan, Bagmati Province |
| Home Ground | Gautam Buddha International Cricket Stadium |
| Team Colors | Green & Black |
Season by Season
| Season | League Position | Final Result |
|---|---|---|
| Season 1 (2024) | Playoffs | Reached the Eliminator |
| Season 2 (2025) | 7th | League stage |
| Season 3 (2026) | Starts October 26, 2026 | — |
Key Current Players
These names are from the latest retained-player list and the completed July 6 auction.
- Kushal Malla - Retained
- Dev Khanal - Retained
- Bibek Kumar Yadav - Auction buy
- Mausam Dhakal - Auction buy
Chitwan Rhinos Season 3 Full Squad
Auction spend: NPR 26 lakh • Purse left: NPR 16 lakh
Chitwan Rhinos overseas signings — Season 3
Direct overseas contracts for NPL Season 3. Availability is subject to national duty and league clearance.
| Overseas player | Country | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Sikandar Raza | Zimbabwe | All-rounder |
| Ravi Bopara | England | All-rounder |
| Kaleem Sana | Canada | Bowler |
| Usama Mir | Pakistan | Bowler |
Meet the overseas signings
Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe): Zimbabwe's T20 captain is the most decorated overseas signing in Chitwan's history, with 9,382 international runs and 252 wickets since his 2013 debut and league titles with Lahore Qalandars, Trinbago Knight Riders and Dubai Capitals. He has played in Nepal before, scoring 129 runs and taking four wickets for Biratnagar Warriors in the 2021 Everest Premier League.
Ravi Bopara (England): The former England all-rounder is in his third consecutive season with Chitwan and is the franchise's all-time top scorer with 523 runs in 15 matches, including 286 in Season 1 — the tournament's second-highest tally that year. For England he played 120 ODIs and 38 T20Is, scoring 3,981 international runs and taking 57 wickets.
Kaleem Sana (Canada): Canada's left-arm fast bowler is the only left-arm quick in Chitwan's attack and its new-ball point of difference. Born in Rawalpindi, he took a hat-trick with figures of 4/13 for Montreal Tigers in GT20 Canada and played five matches at the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Usama Mir (Pakistan): The Pakistan leg-spinner was the leading wicket-taker of PSL 2024, taking 24 wickets in 12 matches for Multan Sultans. He made his ODI debut against New Zealand in January 2023, dismissing Kane Williamson for his first international wicket, and at the 2023 World Cup became the first concussion substitute in the tournament's history.
Chitwan Rhinos retained players and auction buys
Only confirmed retained players and July 6, 2026 auction buys are shown here, so older squad names stay out of the team page.
Retained players
| Retained player | Role |
|---|---|
| Kushal Malla | All-rounder |
| Dev Khanal | Batter |
| Arjun Saud | — |
| Kamal Singh Airee | Bowler |
| Ranjeet Kumar | — |
| Deepak Bohara | Batter |
| Rijan Dhakal | — |
Auction buys with confirmed prices
| Auction player | Role | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Ashok Dhami | Bowler | NPR 2 lakh |
| Bibek Kumar Yadav | All-rounder | NPR 15 lakh |
| Bipin Rawal | Wicket-keeper | NPR 2 lakh |
| Gautam KC | Bowler | NPR 2 lakh |
| Mausam Dhakal | Bowler | NPR 3 lakh |
| Salahuddin Khan | Player | NPR 2 lakh |
Chitwan Rhinos Fixtures 2026
The Nepal Premier League Season 3 runs from October 26 to November 21, 2026. Below are the Chitwan Rhinos' Season 3 fixtures (subject to change). Open any card for the full match preview:
Biratnagar Kings
Chitwan Rhinos
Lumbini LionsChitwan Rhinos
Sudurpaschim RoyalsChitwan RhinosChitwan Rhinos
Pokhara AvengersChitwan Rhinos
Kathmandu Gorkhas
Janakpur BoltsChitwan RhinosChitwan Rhinos
Karnali YaksChitwan Rhinos Records
- Most runs: Ravi Bopara is Chitwan's all-time top scorer with 523 runs in 15 matches — the second-highest tally in NPL history, behind only Rohit Paudel (555).
- Most wickets: Sohail Tanvir leads Chitwan's all-time bowling chart with 22 wickets, including 5/21 against Kathmandu Gurkhas on 2 Dec 2024 — the first five-wicket haul in NPL history.
- Best finish: Chitwan reached the Eliminator in their debut season (2024), finishing third in the league before losing the Eliminator to Karnali Yaks — still the club's best campaign.
- Finalists beaten: In Season 1, Chitwan beat both eventual finalists in the league stage: Sudurpaschim Royals by 33 runs (the Royals' only league defeat) and champions Janakpur Bolts by 32 runs.
- All-time record: Across the first two seasons, Chitwan have played 15 matches, winning 6 and losing 9 — a win rate of 40.0%.
Chitwan Rhinos All-Time Top Run Scorers
| Player | Runs | Matches | Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ravi Bopara | 523 | 15 | 37.36 | 133.1 |
| Kushal Malla | 358 | 15 | 27.54 | 121.4 |
| Dev Khanal | 128 | 6 | 21.33 | 105.8 |
| Hassan Eisakhil | 125 | 6 | 20.83 | 130.2 |
| Dawid Malan | 121 | 7 | 17.29 | 123.5 |
Chitwan Rhinos All-Time Top Wicket Takers
| Player | Wickets | Matches | Average | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sohail Tanvir | 22 | 13 | 13.64 | 6.07 |
| Rijan Dhakal | 16 | 13 | 22.19 | 7.87 |
| Kushal Malla | 10 | 13 | 31.20 | 7.47 |
| Ranjeet Kumar | 10 | 10 | 23.60 | 7.90 |
| Amar Routela | 5 | 6 | 17.80 | 9.69 |
| Kamal Singh Airee | 5 | 6 | 33.00 | 9.98 |
| Saif Zaib | 5 | 7 | 30.60 | 6.82 |
Season 2 (2025) Match Results
| Date | Match | Opponent | Scores | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 Nov 2025 | Match 2 | Karnali Yaks | Karnali Yaks 166/3 (20 ov) · Chitwan Rhinos 171/6 (19.1 ov) | Won by 4 wickets |
| 20 Nov 2025 | Match 5 | Lumbini Lions | Chitwan Rhinos 142/7 (20 ov) · Lumbini Lions 146/4 (18.3 ov) | Lost by 6 wickets |
| 26 Nov 2025 | Match 12 | Biratnagar Kings | Chitwan Rhinos 174/5 (20 ov) · Biratnagar Kings 126 all out (16.5 ov) | Won by 48 runs |
| 28 Nov 2025 | Match 15 | Kathmandu Gorkhas | Kathmandu Gorkhas 142 all out (19.4 ov) · Chitwan Rhinos 89 all out (17.2 ov) | Lost by 53 runs |
| 2 Dec 2025 | Match 20 | Janakpur Bolts | Chitwan Rhinos 176/4 (20 ov) · Janakpur Bolts 180/4 (17.3 ov) | Lost by 6 wickets |
| 4 Dec 2025 | Match 24 | Sudurpaschim Royals | Sudurpaschim Royals 169/4 (20 ov) · Chitwan Rhinos 120 all out (17.1 ov) | Lost by 49 runs |
| 6 Dec 2025 | Match 27 | Pokhara Avengers | Chitwan Rhinos 120/6 (20 ov) · Pokhara Avengers 121/2 (20 ov) | Lost by 8 wickets |
Season 1 (2024) Match Results
| Date | Match | Opponent | Scores | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Dec 2024 | Match 2 | Kathmandu Gurkhas | Kathmandu Gurkhas 111/9 (20 ov) · Chitwan Rhinos 114/5 (17.1 ov) | Won by 5 wickets |
| 3 Dec 2024 | Match 5 | Pokhara Avengers | Chitwan Rhinos 161/7 (20 ov) · Pokhara Avengers 74 all out (13.2 ov) | Won by 87 runs |
| 6 Dec 2024 | Match 10 | Karnali Yaks | Chitwan Rhinos 130/7 (20 ov) · Karnali Yaks 132/4 (19.5 ov) | Lost by 6 wickets |
| 8 Dec 2024 | Match 15 | Sudurpaschim Royals | Chitwan Rhinos 164/5 (20 ov) · Sudurpaschim Royals 131 all out (18.2 ov) | Won by 33 runs |
| 10 Dec 2024 | Match 16 | Lumbini Lions | Lumbini Lions 167/6 (20 ov) · Chitwan Rhinos 134/8 (20 ov) | Lost by 33 runs |
| 13 Dec 2024 | Match 23 | Biratnagar Kings | Biratnagar Kings 181/5 (20 ov) · Chitwan Rhinos 130/6 (20 ov) | Lost by 51 runs |
| 14 Dec 2024 | Match 25 | Janakpur Bolts | Chitwan Rhinos 180/5 (20 ov) · Janakpur Bolts 148 all out (18 ov) | Won by 32 runs |
| 18 Dec 2024 | Eliminator | Karnali Yaks | Karnali Yaks 175/6 (20 ov) · Chitwan Rhinos 154/9 (20 ov) | Lost by 21 runs |
All 15 matches were played at the TU Cricket Ground, Kirtipur. Across the two seasons the Rhinos have played 15, won 6 and lost 9.
Coaching Staff
Sohail Tanvir takes charge of Chitwan for Season 3 after playing for the Rhinos in each of the first two seasons.
Head Coach: Sohail Tanvir
The former Pakistan left-arm seamer is Chitwan's all-time leading wicket-taker with 22 wickets, including the first five-wicket haul in NPL history (5/21 against Kathmandu Gurkhas in 2024), and was a member of Pakistan's 2009 T20 World Cup-winning team. He was appointed head coach for Season 3 after two seasons as a Rhinos player.
Latest Chitwan Rhinos News
Chitwan Rhinos Name Tanvir Coach, Target First NPL Title
Chitwan Rhinos have appointed Sohail Tanvir as head coach for NPL Season 3 and set their sights on a first title, backed by Bopara, Raza and a revamped squad.
Read More ->
Chitwan Rhinos Sign Pakistan Leg-Spinner Usama Mir
Chitwan Rhinos have signed Pakistan leg-spinner Usama Mir, the PSL 2024 leading wicket-taker, as their fourth overseas player for NPL Season 3.
Read More ->More coverage in the NPL news hub.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the team's history in NPL?
The Chitwan Rhinos made their NPL debut in Season 1 (2024) and reached the Eliminator in that first season. They finished seventh in Season 2 (2025) and return for Season 3 under captain Kushal Malla. Past Rhinos players include Alpesh Ramjani (Season 2, 2025) and Dawid Malan (Season 2, 2025).
Who is the captain for the 2026 season?
Kushal Malla will lead the team as captain for the 2026 season. His aggressive batting and leadership qualities are crucial to the team's strategy.
Are overseas players confirmed for Season 3?
Yes. Chitwan Rhinos have confirmed three overseas signings for Season 3: Zimbabwe's Sikandar Raza, England's Ravi Bopara and Canada's Kaleem Sana, listed in the overseas signings panel above alongside the retained players and auction buys.
How can fans support the team?
Fans can support the Chitwan Rhinos by attending matches, purchasing official merchandise, engaging with the team on social media, and participating in fan events organized throughout the season.
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