NPL 2024 Player Review: Rohit Paudel, Dipendra Singh Airee, and Other Nepali Stars Impress

The Nepal Premier League (NPL) wrapped up last Saturday with Janakpur Bolts clinching the title after a victory over Sudurpaschim Royals. Dipendra Singh Airee was named the Best Nepali Player of the Tournament, while England’s Saif Ali Zaib earned the Player of the Tournament award.

Here’s a look at the performances of Nepali national team players in the tournament:

Rohit Paudel (Lumbini Lions)
National team captain Rohit Paudel led Lumbini Lions to a last-place finish in the league. Despite his team’s struggles, Rohit stood out individually as the highest-scoring Nepali player with 279 runs and 8 wickets from 7 matches.

Dipendra Singh Airee (Sudurpaschim Royals)
All-rounder Dipendra captained the runners-up team and delivered solid performances in batting, bowling, and fielding. He scored 227 runs, including a half-century, and took 9 wickets across 9 matches.

Kushal Malla (Chitwan Rhinos)
The youngest captain in the tournament, Kushal led Chitwan Rhinos to a fourth-place finish. He scored 223 runs and took 9 wickets in 8 matches, benefiting from the guidance of experienced players like Ravi Bopara and Sohail Tanvir.

Aasif Sheikh (Janakpur Bolts)
Aasif played a crucial role for the champion team, stepping in as captain during the playoffs and finals in Anil Sah’s absence. He scored 162 runs in 10 matches, with an important performance in the final, helping to set up a strong opening partnership.

Anil Sah (Janakpur Bolts)
Despite battling injury, Anil captained Janakpur in the earlier matches. He contributed 132 runs in 7 matches, including a half-century, and claimed 12 catches, the most in the tournament.

Kushal Bhurtel (Pokhara Avengers)
Kushal had a tough tournament, managing just 54 runs in 7 matches. Although he claimed 5 wickets, Pokhara finished in seventh place, and his captaincy debut fell short of expectations.

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Sompal Kami (Karnali Yaks)
Sompal had a steady tournament as Karnali finished third. He took 9 wickets in 9 matches and contributed 52 runs, including a top score of 29 not out.

Karan KC (Kathmandu Gurkhas)
Karan was among the top wicket-takers, claiming 12 wickets in 7 matches for Kathmandu Gurkhas. However, his bat contributed only 51 runs, and his team narrowly missed the playoffs due to net run rate.

Sandeep Lamichhane (Biratnagar Kings)
Sandeep had an underwhelming tournament, taking 6 wickets in 7 matches. His form improved in the later stages, but Biratnagar had already been eliminated by then. He scored just 22 runs with the bat.

Lalit Rajbanshi (Janakpur Bolts)
Lalit was one of the standout bowlers of the tournament, claiming 17 wickets in 10 matches, tying for the highest wicket-taker. His impressive economy rate of 5.32 and match-winning performances were crucial to Janakpur’s title victory.

Rijan Dhakal (Chitwan Rhinos)
Left-arm pacer Rijan impressed with 13 wickets in 8 matches, including a remarkable 3-10 performance. His strong bowling contributions bolstered Chitwan’s attack.

Gulshan Jha (Karnali Yaks)
Gulshan had a moderate tournament, scoring 132 runs and taking 1 wicket in 9 matches. Karnali finished third in the league.

Other Notable Performances

Bhim Sarki (Kathmandu Gurkhas): Scored 78 runs in 7 matches but struggled to make a significant impact.
Arif Sheikh (Sudurpaschim Royals): Scored 69 runs in 9 matches and played an important role in supporting his team’s run to the finals.
Arjun Saud (Lumbini Lions): Scored 68 runs in 6 matches, though he had limited opportunities to shine.

Other players like Sundeep Jora and Vivek Yadav showed flashes of power-hitting but couldn’t prevent Lumbini Lions from an early exit.

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The NPL showcased a mix of outstanding individual performances and missed opportunities for Nepali players, offering valuable lessons for future editions of the tournament.