The keeper who bats fast — 61 runs at a strike rate of 124
Binod Bhandari has scored 61 runs in five matches for Sudurpaschim Royals in NPL Season 3, at a strike rate of 124.5 — among the quickest in the side. He is the retained wicketkeeper, and he has batted in every match bar one, with a top score of 27.
Wicketkeeper. Retained for Season 3. Head coach: Misbah-ul-Haq. Captain: Dipendra Singh Airee.
The numbers so far
All figures cover matches through Match 21, played on Tuesday 10 November 2026.
| Matches | Runs | Best | Average | Strike rate | 4s | 6s | 50s | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batting | 5 | 61 | 27 | 12.20 | 124.5 | 9 | 2 | 0 |
| Matches | Wickets | Runs | Average | Economy | Overs | Maidens | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowling | Has not bowled in Season 3. | ||||||
Numbers from the NPL season file, updated 10 November 2026, covering matches through Match 21. Strike rate is runs per 100 balls; economy is runs per over.
Match by match
Every innings and every spell, newest first. An asterisk means not out.
| Match | Runs | Balls | Against |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | 8 | Lumbini Lions |
| 4 | 4 | 2 | Pokhara Avengers |
| 11 | 11 | 7 | Chitwan Rhinos |
| 16 | 27 | 22 | Karnali Yaks |
| 21 | 10 | 10 | Janakpur Bolts |
Reading the season
His innings have been short and sharp. He made 9 off 8 against Lumbini Lions, 4 off 2 against Pokhara Avengers, 11 off 7 against Chitwan Rhinos, 27 off 22 against Karnali Yaks — his best, in the Royals’ biggest win of the season, 176 for 6 — and 10 off 10 against Janakpur Bolts in Match 21. Nine fours in 49 balls shows where the runs come from: he finds the boundary early and does not hang around.
The trade-off is the average: 12.20, because he has been dismissed in all five innings. A keeper-batter who scores at 124.5 is doing his job when the side needs quick runs, and the Royals’ batting has been a shared effort this season — no batter has passed 43 except the captain’s fifty — so a 27 at better than a run a ball is a real contribution. The season file tracks batting and bowling only, so his keeping dismissals are not in these numbers; his place in the side has never been in doubt.
The team around him
Sudurpaschim Royals have four wins from six matches in Season 3 and sit second on 8 points, level with Kathmandu Gorkhas at the top and behind only on net run rate (+0.069). The playoff place is already secure — the only question left is whether they finish in the top two and go straight to Qualifier 1 on Tuesday 17 November, or in third or fourth and play the Eliminator on Wednesday 18 November. The last league match decides it: Kathmandu Gorkhas on Friday 13 November, 12:30 PM NST (11:45 AM PKT, 6:45 AM UTC), at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. A win takes the Royals to 10 points, and only Lumbini Lions could still finish above them.
Frequently asked questions
How many runs has Binod Bhandari scored in NPL 2026?
61 runs in five matches, at a strike rate of 124.5, with a top score of 27 against Karnali Yaks. He has hit nine fours and two sixes, and has been dismissed in all five innings.
Is Binod Bhandari the Sudurpaschim Royals wicketkeeper?
Yes. He was retained as the wicketkeeper for Season 3 and has kept in the side’s matches. Dipak Bohara and Tek Rawat are the other wicketkeepers in the squad, and neither has played yet this season.
What was Binod Bhandari’s best innings in NPL 2026?
27 off 22 balls against Karnali Yaks in Match 16, when the Royals posted 176 for 6 — their highest total of the season — and won by 39 runs. It is his only score past 20 this season.
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