Sat, 17 October 2026
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Sat, 17 October 2026
By A Staff Reporter, Kathmandu, Oct. 17: The Nepal Premier League (NPL) has officially secured sanctioning from the International Cricket Council (ICC), granting the franchise-based Twenty20 tournament official List A status and ensuring that player performances count toward official career statistics.
The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) confirmed the development via a press release on Friday, just hours after Secretary Paras Khadka revealed at an NPL media briefing that he was eagerly awaiting confirmation from the world governing body.
With the ICC sanctioning, all matches in the tournament will now be recorded as official T20 fixtures, allowing players to establish and break official records. Additionally, the accreditation removes previous roster restrictions, enabling franchise teams to sign prominent international stars and active Test cricketers without prior caps limits.
Expressing his elation, CAN Secretary Paras Khadka shared a statement on social media titled "The Pursuit of Happiness: Version 3:0," writing: "Years of relentless effort, belief and dedication from everyone across Nepal Cricket—working together to restore Nepal’s place where it belongs, as a cricketing nation that has always punched above its weight... We are ready to welcome the cricketing world to the Festival of Himalayas."
CAN formally thanked the ICC for its continuous support in establishing Nepali cricket globally. Franchise teams also celebrated the milestone online, with two-time runners-up Sudurpaschim Royals hailing it as a "historic milestone," defending champions Lumbini Lions calling it a "new chapter," and the Kathmandu Gorkhas describing the news as a "perfect Dashain gift."
DRS rollout
Speaking earlier at the Siddhartha Bank Limited (SBL) head office during the NPL Media Day, Khadka announced that the upcoming third edition of the league is poised to introduce the Decision Review System (DRS). An official announcement regarding the technology is expected within three days.
"Once we receive sanctioning from the ICC, implementing the DRS in the NPL will be much smoother," Khadka noted, estimating the setup cost at between Rs 15 million and Rs 20 million. He added that the major financial expenditure would be shared between CAN and participating franchise teams.
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