Kathmandu, October 24
Karnali Yaks, representing Karnali Province in the Nepal Premier League (NPL), have retained much of their core squad while adding players from Bangladesh and Pakistan ahead of the third edition.
Led by experienced Nepal international Sompal Kami, Karnali have delivered mixed results in the tournament’s first two seasons. They finished fourth in the inaugural edition to reach the playoffs but dropped to sixth in the second season, missing out on the knockout stage.
The franchise has nevertheless remained one of the league’s prominent teams. It attracted considerable attention in the first season by signing Indian star Shikhar Dhawan, while Scottish bowler Mark Watt boosted its profile in the second edition by scoring the tournament’s fastest century.
Alongside captain Kami, the squad has featured prominent domestic players such as Gulshan Jha and Nandan Yadav. Gyanendra Malla, who served as head coach for the first two seasons, has moved into the role of cricket director, taking on broader responsibilities.
Continuity in the core squad
Karnali have maintained continuity by retaining several players who have represented the franchise since its inaugural season. Captain Sompal Kami, Gulshan Jha, Nandan Yadav and Yunish Bikram Thakuri remain part of the team, while Bipin Sharma has also returned after being released and subsequently signed again at the auction.
Sharma initially joined Karnali as an iconic player selected through the talent hunt before being retained for the second season. Although the franchise released him ahead of the third edition, it brought him back through the auction.
Karnali have also retained Pawan Sarraf, Deepak Dumre and Yuvraj Khatri, who joined through the auction ahead of the second season. Dipendra Rawat, who was retained for the previous edition, has returned through the auction.
The franchise has thus kept a substantial part of its previous squad together. Nine players who have represented Karnali before are set to feature again in the third edition.
The team has added batter Shubha Kansakar, spinner Surya Tamang and local players Diwan Pun and Sachin Sharma. Sharma has returned after developing his cricket in the United Kingdom.
Karnali have also provided opportunities to emerging players from the province in previous editions. Bipin Sharma rose to prominence after joining through the talent hunt, while Yunish Bikram Thakuri and Dipendra Rawat have also featured for the team. Arjun Gharti, another player from the earlier squads, has been released ahead of the new season.
Bangladesh and Pakistan players strengthen overseas contingent
Karnali have previously attracted international names ranging from Dhawan to former Australia Under-19 captain William Bosisto, alongside players from associate cricket nations.
For the third season, the franchise has turned to Bangladesh and Pakistan for reinforcements. It has announced three overseas players so far, including two Bangladeshis, while also bringing in two Pakistanis.
Scottish spinner Mark Watt has been retained. The Bangladesh signings include wicketkeeper-batter Akbar Ali and young batter Ariful Islam.
Akbar captained Bangladesh’s Under-19 team to the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup title in 2020. Both Akbar and Ariful have represented Bangladesh at age-group level and for Bangladesh A, although neither has played for the senior national team.
Pakistan’s Hussain Talat and Sahibzada Farhan have also joined the squad. Farhan is an established Pakistan international and has captained the country’s T20 international side, according to the team preview. Karnali are also expected to announce another high-profile overseas signing.
Spin and pace options across the squad
Akbar is expected to contribute as both a batter and wicketkeeper, while Watt will lead the spin attack. He will have support from Nepal’s Surya Tamang, Bipin Sharma, Yunish Bikram Thakuri, Dipendra Rawat and Pawan Sarraf.
Karnali’s pace options include captain Sompal Kami, Nandan Yadav and Gulshan Jha, giving the team a mix of experience and all-round ability.
The overseas additions provide batting options across the top and middle orders, while Shubha Kansakar offers another domestic middle-order option. With a familiar core and a varied overseas contingent, Karnali will hope to improve on last season’s sixth-place finish and return to the playoffs.
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