The marquee signing who won, then left
When Kathmandu Gorkhas announced David Warner, it was the biggest name the Nepal Premier League had ever signed. The Australian opener — born 27 October 1986 in Paddington, New South Wales, a left-hand batter with two decades at the top of the game — arrived as the face of the franchise's Season 3, and for four matches he was exactly that.
Warner scored 127 runs in four innings: 16 against Karnali Yaks, 44 not out against Biratnagar Kings, 66 against Lumbini Lions and 1 against Chitwan Rhinos. Kathmandu won all four matches he played. His 66 against Lumbini on 7 November was the highest score by a Kathmandu batter this season, and it earned him the player-of-the-match award.
Then he was gone. Gorkhas manager Deepak KC confirmed on Tuesday 10 November that Warner had returned to Australia, thanking him for what he gave the team and Nepali cricket. Kathmandu's last two league matches — against Sudurpaschim Royals on 13 November and Pokhara Avengers on 15 November — and the playoffs that follow will be played without him.
David Warner's NPL 2026 numbers
Four innings, 127 runs, one fifty, a strike rate of 141.11. The table below is current through Match 20 — Warner played no part in Kathmandu's fifth match, the opener against Janakpur, which was played before he arrived.
| Matches | Runs | Balls | Highest | 4s | 6s | Strike rate | Average | 50s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 127 | 90 | 66 | 14 | 4 | 141.11 | 42.33 | 1 |
The shape of the numbers tells the story. Warner's strike rate of 141.11 was the fastest scoring among Kathmandu's regular batters, and his 14 fours were the most by any Gorkha. He did not bowl in the season — he is a right-arm leg-break bowler by trade, but Kathmandu never needed him with the ball.
His average of 42.33 is flattered slightly by the one not-out innings, the 44 not out against Biratnagar, but the pattern is real: three of his four innings passed 15, and the one that did not — 1 against Chitwan — was the match in which Rashid Khan's 52 carried the innings instead. Warner's job was to set the tone at the top, and in three matches out of four he did.
Every Warner innings — 16, 44 not out, 66, 1
Match 10, 2 November, vs Karnali Yaks — 16 off 10 balls. A brisk start to his NPL career: three fours in ten balls before he fell. Kathmandu chased 181 to win by four wickets, with Rashid Khan's 50 and Karan KC's 44 doing the heavy lifting after Warner's early burst. Match 15, 5 November, vs Biratnagar Kings — 44 not out off 24 balls. Kathmandu bowled Biratnagar out for 83, and Warner finished the chase himself: 44 not out, with two fours and three sixes, as the Gorkhas won by nine wickets in 9.4 overs. It was the most comfortable win of their season. Match 18, 7 November, vs Lumbini Lions — 66 off 50 balls. His best innings, and the match that earned him player of the match. Nine fours and a six in a 66 that carried Kathmandu to 160 for 8 — and Lumbini were bowled out for 124, a 36-run win. It remains the highest score by a Kathmandu batter this season. Match 20, 9 November, vs Chitwan Rhinos — 1 off 6 balls. His last innings for the club, and his quietest. He fell early to Kamal Airee, and Rashid Khan's 52 off 30 balls took Kathmandu to 180 for 8 instead. Chitwan made 170 for 7, and Kathmandu won by 10 runs — Warner's fourth win in four matches.What Kathmandu lose without him
Kathmandu Gorkhas lead the NPL Season 3 points table with 8 points from five matches and a net run rate of +1.168. They are already certain of a playoff place, and the fight now is for the top two — which go straight to Qualifier 1 on 17 November — rather than survival. But the side that got them there had Warner at the top of the order, and the side that finishes the season will not.
The runs now have to come from elsewhere. Rashid Khan, the retained Nepali bowler, has made 120 runs in four innings with two fifties. Karan KC, the captain, has 81. Sahan Arachchige, the Sri Lankan all-rounder, has 67 in two innings. Sahil Patel's 38 against Lumbini showed the middle order can stand up. What none of them can replace is Warner's presence: the name that filled the ground and the intent that set the first six overs. SialTV will update this page after every Kathmandu match, through the final on 21 November.
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Frequently asked questions
Has David Warner left Kathmandu Gorkhas?
Yes. Warner returned to Australia after four matches, four wins and 127 runs. Gorkhas manager Deepak KC confirmed the departure on Tuesday 10 November. Kathmandu play their last two league matches — against Sudurpaschim Royals and Pokhara Avengers — without him.
How many runs did David Warner score in the NPL?
127 runs in four innings, at an average of 42.33 and a strike rate of 141.11, with one fifty. His scores were 16 against Karnali, 44 not out against Biratnagar, 66 against Lumbini and 1 against Chitwan.
What was David Warner's best innings for Kathmandu?
66 off 50 balls against Lumbini Lions on 7 November, with nine fours and a six. It carried Kathmandu to 160 for 8 in a 36-run win, earned him the player-of-the-match award, and remains the highest score by a Kathmandu batter this season.