The batting that leads the league
No team in NPL Season 3 has hit the ball harder than Biratnagar Kings. Their top two batters have hit 30 sixes between them, and Lokesh Bam’s 194 runs lead the entire league. The problem is that the runs have come in losing causes.
Lokesh Bam has 194 runs in five matches at a strike rate of 142.6, with two fifties and a best of 87. His 16 sixes are more than any other player in the league — and his opening partner’s name is not far behind. Andre Russell has 144 runs in five matches at a strike rate of 189.5, with 14 sixes, and has taken 6 wickets as well. Imran Sheikh has the side’s third fifty and 100 runs in four matches, and Angelo Mathews has added 67 runs and leads the bowling with 7 wickets.
The rest of the batting has been quiet. Charith Asalanka, the Sri Lanka international, has 11 runs in two matches, and captain Sandeep Lamichhane has taken one wicket in four matches — a sharp contrast with last season, when he took 17 wickets at 4.92 runs an over. Biratnagar’s season has been two stars and a supporting cast that has not yet arrived.
Batting and bowling figures are from the NPL season stats file (updated 9 November 2026). Lokesh Bam leads the league in both runs (194) and sixes (16).
Why four points is all they have
Five matches, two wins, three defeats — and every defeat was close. Biratnagar Kings have lost by 8 runs, by 4 wickets and by 9 wickets, and the last of those was the worst: bowled out for 83 by Kathmandu Gorkhas, the lowest total of their season.
| Match | Date | Fixture & scores | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Fri 6 Nov | Kathmandu Gorkhas 86/1 (9.4 ov) vs Biratnagar Kings 83/10 (18.3 ov) | Lost by 9 wickets |
| 12 | Tue 3 Nov | Biratnagar Kings 174/3 (20 ov) vs Janakpur Bolts 172/7 (20 ov) | Won by 2 runs |
| 8 | Sat 31 Oct | Biratnagar Kings 105/2 (5 ov) vs Sudurpaschim Royals 70/3 (5 ov) | Won by 35 runs |
| 6 | Fri 30 Oct | Karnali Yaks 187/6 (19.5 ov) vs Biratnagar Kings 186/7 (20 ov) | Lost by 4 wickets |
| 2 | Mon 26 Oct | Biratnagar Kings 149/10 (19.3 ov) vs Chitwan Rhinos 157/3 (20 ov) | Lost by 8 runs |
The season opened with an eight-run defeat to Chitwan Rhinos, then a four-wicket defeat to Karnali Yaks after the Kings had posted 186 for 7 — the kind of total that should have been enough. The two wins that followed were the side’s best days: a 35-run win over Sudurpaschim Royals in a match reduced to five overs per side by rain, and a two-run win over Janakpur Bolts, the closest finish of the season so far. Then Kathmandu Gorkhas bowled them out for 83 and chased it in 9.5 overs.
Match 8 was reduced to five overs per side by rain. Scores verified against the NPL results file. Every scorecard is on the NPL Results page.
What two wins would do
Biratnagar Kings have two league matches left. Win both and they finish on 8 points — and that almost certainly means a playoff place.
The arithmetic is kind to a side on 8 points. Only Kathmandu Gorkhas, Sudurpaschim Royals and Lumbini Lions can finish above 8, and Chitwan Rhinos would need to win both of their remaining matches to reach 9. If the Kings win both, they would need all four of those things to happen at once to miss out — and one of them, Chitwan beating Janakpur on Friday, is a match the Kings themselves would want to see go the other way. Win one of the two and they finish on 6 points, needing help from elsewhere and a net run rate that works against them: −0.820 is the second-worst in the league. Lose both and the season ends on 4 points, below Chitwan’s 5.
The full table is on the NPL Points Table. A win is worth 2 points and the top four teams qualify for the playoffs.
The squad
Seventeen names, led by Nepal’s biggest cricketer and built around two overseas stars. Six players were retained from last season, eight came through the July auction, and two arrived on direct overseas contracts. The Kings spent NPR 37.25 lakh at the auction and kept NPR 14.25 lakh of their purse unspent.
Captain: Sandeep Lamichhane. Coach: Dhammika Prasad, the former Sri Lanka fast bowler. The Kings play in royal blue and gold, and are based in Biratnagar in Koshi Province.
| Player | Role | Joined |
|---|---|---|
| Sandeep Lamichhane | Right-arm leg-break bowler (captain) | Retained |
| Andre Russell | All-rounder | Overseas |
| Charith Asalanka | Batter | Overseas |
| Lokesh Bam | Wicketkeeper-batter | Retained |
| Dilsad Ali | Wicketkeeper-batter | Auction |
| Prajwal Thapa | Wicketkeeper | Auction |
| Imran Sheikh | Batter | Auction |
| Basir Ahamad | Left-handed all-rounder, left-arm spin | Retained |
| Pratik Shrestha | All-rounder | Auction |
| Rupesh Kumar Singh | All-rounder | Auction |
| Sujan Thapaliya | All-rounder | Auction |
| Narayan Joshi | Fast-bowling all-rounder, right-arm medium-fast | Auction |
| Aprajit Poudel | Slow left-arm orthodox bowler | Auction |
| Naren Saud | Bowler | Auction |
| Pratish GC | Left-arm fast bowler | Retained |
| Subash Bhandari | Right-arm offbreak bowler | Retained |
| Dhammika Prasad | Head coach | Head coach |
Squad verified for Season 3 in the NPL data file (checked 21 October 2026). Three overseas players who have appeared in matches — Angelo Mathews, Shubham Ranjane and Shehan Jayasuriya — are not in the verified squad list yet and are not shown here.
Next match
Biratnagar Kings vs Pokhara Avengers, Match 22, on Thursday 12 November 2026 at 12:30 PM NST (11:45 AM PKT, 6:45 AM UTC), at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur.
It is the first of two must-win matches. Pokhara sit last on 2 points, but they have already shown what they can do — their 217 for 3 against Karnali Yaks is the highest total of the season. After that, the Kings face Lumbini Lions in Match 26 on Saturday 14 November at 4:30 PM NST (3:45 PM PKT, 10:45 AM UTC). Two wins, and the playoffs are almost certain.
The full fixture list is on the NPL Schedule. All matches are at the TU International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the Biratnagar Kings captain and coach?
Sandeep Lamichhane captains Biratnagar Kings in Season 3 — the leg-spinner is the side’s most recognisable player and the first Nepali cricketer to play in the Indian Premier League. Dhammika Prasad, the former Sri Lanka fast bowler, is the head coach. The Kings were founded in 2024 and have not yet won the title.
Who are Biratnagar Kings’ key players this season?
Lokesh Bam leads the whole league with 194 runs in five matches, including 16 sixes, and Andre Russell has 144 runs at a strike rate of 189.5 plus 6 wickets. Imran Sheikh has 100 runs with a fifty, and Angelo Mathews leads the bowling with 7 wickets. Captain Sandeep Lamichhane has had a quiet season so far with one wicket in four matches, after taking 17 at 4.92 runs an over last season.
What do Biratnagar Kings need to qualify for the playoffs?
They have two matches left: Pokhara Avengers on Thursday 12 November and Lumbini Lions on Saturday 14 November. Win both and they finish on 8 points, which almost certainly means a playoff place. Win one and they finish on 6 points, needing help from other results and a net run rate that works against them. Lose both and they are out.
When is Biratnagar Kings’ next match?
Thursday 12 November 2026, against Pokhara Avengers in Match 22, at 12:30 PM NST (11:45 AM PKT, 6:45 AM UTC) at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. Their last league match is against Lumbini Lions on Saturday 14 November at 4:30 PM NST.