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As we gear up for the Nepal Premier League (NPL), the excitement is growing by the day. And why not? This time, the stage is bigger than ever, featuring over 30 foreign players, many of whom have international experience.

The epicenter of this cricketing spectacle is the TU Cricket Ground, nestled in the heart of the Kathmandu Valley. Surrounded by majestic hills and mountains, this charming stadium has recently undergone a stunning makeover, leaving cricket fans eager to fill the seats. For those who miss out on the stands, the lush green grass will undoubtedly provide a cozy spot to enjoy the matches in this pleasant winter weather.

As eight teams battle it out for the coveted silverware, we can’t help but reflect on how franchise cricket began worldwide. Franchise cricket has offered hope to those who dream of pursuing the sport seriously. In the past, cricket was largely confined to matches between the eight Test-playing nations. Associate nations had limited opportunities, appearing only sporadically in tournaments like the World Cup, Champions Trophy, or Asia Cup. Until recently, T20 cricket was played almost exclusively in England, and the World Cup occurred only once every four years.

I will be discussing the birth of the T20 format in another article. This one, however, is about the birth of T20 franchise cricket. Many might assume that the Indian Premier League (IPL) was the pioneer of the franchise T20 league format. However, the credit for starting the first-ever T20 franchise cricket league goes to the ICL (Indian Cricket League). Sounds familiar, right? The ICL was formed before the IPL came onto the scene.

Kapil Dev, hailed as a hero and the only Indian captain to win the Cricket World Cup at the time, served as the chairman of the ICL. The league was born out of discontent over TV rights with the BCCI. Despite Zee Group offering the highest bid for broadcasting Indian cricket matches, the deal was rejected by the board. In response, Zee Group decided to form its own league—just as Kerry Packer had done in the 1970s.

Though the ICL didn’t send shockwaves across the cricketing world, it certainly caused a stir within the BCCI and ICC. The format itself was revolutionary, introducing city-based franchise teams—a concept that was unheard of at the time. This trend, which began with the ICL, laid the foundation for what the world now embraces: franchise-based leagues. From the IPL to the Big Bash, PSL, and Caribbean Premier League, every major T20 cricket tournament today owes its existence to the franchise cricket model first popularized by the ICL and later perfected by the IPL.

It’s no surprise that the BCCI would never have welcomed, let alone allowed, the ICL to operate in their own backyard. They swiftly took action, announcing a lifetime ban on Kapil Dev and barring all cricketers who participated in the rebel league. Players like Ambati Rayudu and Stuart Binny, who joined the ICL, were also banned. Moreover, the BCCI prohibited all stadiums under their control from being used for ICL matches.

Despite these obstacles, the tournament began and ran for merely two and a half years. It gained popularity during its first season, but everything changed when Lalit Modi announced a similar tournament—the IPL—which mimicked the ICL’s format. This marked the beginning of the ICL’s downfall. With declining viewership and growing competition from the IPL, the ICL and its rebel cricketing dream faded away after just a couple of years.

However, we must not overlook the significant impact the ICL had in shaping the franchise league concept into a global phenomenon. Without the birth of the ICL, one might wonder if the IPL would even exist today. The IPL’s inception was, in many ways, a direct counter-punch to the ICL. While the IPL is now a multi-billion-dollar sporting event, a small portion of the credit surely belongs to the ICL for being the first to introduce this revolutionary concept.

The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has announced to give a prize of Rs 250,000 to each female cricket player who for the first time entered in the U-19 World Cup.

CAN spokesperson Chumbi Lama informed that the officials included in the team will be honored with a prize of Rs 150,000.

Nepal achieved a historic achievement in the U-19 World Cup for the first time by winning by eight wickets against the home team UAE in the match held in Ajman, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday.

Nepal are placed in the World Cup by adding 10 points from six games.

Similarly, the UAE scored the same 10 points from the same match, Nepal managed to get a place in the World Cup by being ahead in net run rate.

The U-19 Cricket World Cup will be held in Malaysia in 2025.

In addition to the WAC, Nepal have also been selected for the U-19 Asia Cup. Nepal have also been selected for the U-19 Women's Asia Cup organized by ACC in December.

Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Malaysia will participate in U-19 Asia Cup cricket along with Nepal.

When and where is the IPL 2025 auction?

The IPL 2025 auction will take place on Nov 24 and 25 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This marks the second time the auction will be held overseas, with the 2024 auction taking place in Dubai. The exact start and end times are yet to be confirmed. Notably, the auction will coincide with the third and fourth days of the Australia vs. India Test in Perth.

Why is the IPL 2025 auction a 'Mega Auction'?

The IPL hosts a 'mega auction' every three years, allowing teams to retain only a limited number of players—six in this case—leading to a significant reshuffle of squads. In contrast, during non-mega auction years, teams can retain as many players as they wish and participate in a 'mini auction,' which lasts just one day. The two-day mega auction is required due to the larger number of players available for bidding.

How many players are registered for the IPL 2025 auction?

A total of 1,574 players have registered for the IPL 2025 mega auction. However, this list will be reduced after consultations between IPL officials and the franchises. The final list will feature big-ticket players from both India and overseas.

Will there be a marquee set of players?

While there is no confirmation yet, it is likely that the IPL will begin the auction with a set of marquee players, as seen in previous mega auctions in 2018 and 2022.

Who are the big names expected to feature in the auction?

Several prominent names are expected to be part of the auction, including Indian players such as Rishabh Pant, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Ishan Kishan, R Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, and Mohammed Shami. Overseas players like David Warner, Jos Buttler, Mitchell Starc, Glenn Maxwell, Faf du Plessis, Kagiso Rabada, and David Miller are also expected to make the list.

How much money do teams have for the auction?

Each team has a purse of InRs 120 crore, although some of this has already been spent retaining players before the auction. Punjab Kings has the highest remaining purse of InRs 110.5 crore, followed by Royal Challengers Bangalore (InRs 83 crore) and Delhi Capitals (InRS 73 crore).

How bmany players can teams uy?

Each franchise can have a squad of 18 to 25 players. With 46 players already retained, a maximum of 204 slots remain open for filling during the auction. A total of 70 overseas players can be purchased, with each squad allowed to field a maximum of eight foreign players.

Why do teams have different numbers of slots to fill?

The number of slots each team needs to fill depends on how many players they have already retained. For instance, Punjab Kings retained only two players, while Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders retained six, which affects the number of available slots for each franchise.

What is the Right-to-Match (RTM) option?

RTM allows teams to retain a player by matching the highest bid after another franchise has won the auction. This option is available to teams that retained players before the auction. The number of RTM options varies by team. For instance, Punjab Kings have the most RTM options (four), while teams like Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, and Gujarat Titans have only one.

In the upcoming IPL 2025 auction, the Right-to-Match option could play a key role in helping franchises secure their retained players, adding excitement to the bidding process.

ESPN Cricinfo

The Nepali women’s U-19 cricket team made a strong start in the ICC U-19 T20 World Cup Asian Qualifiers, defeating Thailand by 67 runs in Dubai on Wednesday. Defending a target of 103, Nepal bowled out Thailand for just 35 runs.

Rachana Kumari Chaudhary was the standout performer with the ball, taking four wickets for 10 runs, while Puja and Riya Sharma each took two wickets. Krishna Gurung and Manisha Kumari Upadhayay also contributed with one wicket each, keeping Thailand’s score low.

Thailand’s Aphisara Suwanchonrathi was the only player to reach double figures, scoring 13 runs off 23 balls, while the rest of the team struggled against Nepal’s bowling attack.

Nepal, batting first, scored 102 runs for six wickets in their 20 overs. Captain Puja Mahato led the way with 35 runs off 40 balls, supported by Seemana KC and Sonu Pakhrin, who each scored 19. Thailand’s Charukan Saema took two wickets, while Sunisa Bongkodphongampai claimed one.

Nepal is set to face Kuwait on Nov 7 and the UAE on Nov 9 in the double round-robin tournament. Finishing first in the points table would secure Nepal’s spot in the 2025 U-19 Women’s World Cup in Malaysia.