NPL league stage wraps up

The league stage of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) concluded on Monday, with the top four teams now set for the playoffs.

After 28 matches, Sudurpaschim Royals finished at the top with 12 points, followed by Janakpur Bolts in second place with 10 points. Chitwan Rhinos secured third with eight points, and Karnali Yaks took the fourth spot, also with eight points. Kathmandu Gurkhas, who had eight points, were eliminated due to a lower net run rate.

Lumbini Lions, Pokhara Avengers, and Biratnagar Kings were eliminated earlier.

The playoffs will begin with the first qualifier between Sudurpaschim Royals and Janakpur Bolts. Chitwan Rhinos and Karnali Yaks will face off in the eliminator.

The eliminator is scheduled for Wednesday morning, followed by the first qualifier in the afternoon. The winner of the eliminator will move on to the second qualifier, while the loser will be eliminated. The first qualifier winner will advance to the final, with the losing team heading to the second qualifier. And the winner of the second qualifier will play the final while the loser will be eliminated.

The second qualifier will take place on Thursday, and the final will be held on Saturday.

While the league stage has concluded, let’s revisit how it went.

In the opening match on Nov 30, Janakpur Bolts defeated Biratnagar Kings by eight wickets, chasing down 128 in just 15.3 overs. On Dec 2, Chitwan Rhinos triumphed over Kathmandu Gurkhas by five wickets, while Janakpur Bolts continued their winning streak by defeating Karnali Yaks by eight wickets, successfully chasing 142 in 15.1 overs.

On Dec 3, Sudurpaschim Royals delivered a dominant performance against Biratnagar Kings, winning by 90 runs with a total of 182/7, while Chitwan Rhinos crushed Pokhara Avengers by 87 runs, posting 161/7. The next day, Kathmandu Gurkhas edged past Karnali Yaks by three wickets, chasing 150 with only three balls to spare. Lumbini Lions came close to victory, but Biratnagar Kings clinched a dramatic two-wicket win with just one ball remaining.

Janakpur continued their superb form, defeating Pokhara by seven wickets in a chase of 139 on Dec 5. The same day, Sudurpaschim were once again dominant, beating Kathmandu by 73 runs with a score of 167/6. Chitwan bounced back from their defeat, overcoming Karnali by six wickets in a tight finish on Dec 6.

On Dec 8, Janakpur triumphed over Lumbini by one run, while Chitwan sealed a 33-run victory against Sudurpaschim. On Dec 9, Kathmandu got a crucial win, defeating Lumbini by 18 runs. Pokhara faced a loss against Karnali on Dec 10, with the latter winning by seven wickets.

In the subsequent matches, Sudurpaschim were victorious against Janakpur, winning by 72 runs, while Kathmandu overcame Janakpur by five wickets. The next few days saw dramatic finishes, with teams like Lumbini and Karnali pulling off hard-fought wins, while others such as Chitwan maintained impressive performances.

The league reached its climax on Dec 16, where Sudurpaschim defeated Karnali by six wickets with 28 balls to spare.

The league stage also saw some exceptional individual performances with standout contributions in both batting and bowling. Rohit Paudel of Lumbini leads the run-scoring charts with a total of 279 runs in seven innings, averaging 39.85, while Ravi Bopara of Chitwan follows with 233 runs at an average of 38.83. Andries Gous of Pokhara also impressed with 224 runs in six innings, boasting an average of 44.80. 

On the bowling front, Scott Kuggeleijn of Sudurpaschim has been a force to reckon with, taking 15 wickets in seven innings at a remarkable average of nine. Lalit Rajbanshi of Janakpur and Rijan Dhakal of Chitwan both claimed 13 wickets each, with Rajbanshi maintaining an average of 10.69 and Dhakal’s average standing at 14.46.