Sun, 18 October 2026
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Sun, 18 October 2026
BY A STAFF REPORTER, Kathmandu, Oct. 18: The Nepal Premier League (NPL) has officially secured sanction from the International Cricket Council (ICC), granting the franchise official T20 status and allowing performances in the league to count towards players’ official career statistics.
The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) briefed the media on the ICC regulations governing the tournament at a press conference at the Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground.
CAN Secretary Paras Khadka also extended his best wishes to the public on the occasion of Fulpati, an important day of the Dashain festival.
“The ICC has sent the No Objection Certificate (NOC) as per our initial application, and the sanction has been granted only for the third edition of thetournament,” Khadka said.
Organised and managed by CAN, the third edition of the NPL is scheduled to run from October 26 to November 21.
One of the key provisions concerns the recruitment of international players. While the previous edition allowed each franchise to sign four to six overseas players, CAN had requested permission to increase the number to six to eight.
“We had requested the ICC to grant permission for signing six to eight players, and the request has been granted,” Khadka said.
The regulations also require each team to include at least seven Nepali players, providing opportunities for domestic cricketers to compete alongside international players.
Another provision concerns participation by players involved in what the ICC classifies as ‘disapproved cricket’. Players who have participated in disapproved tournaments organised by ICC Associate Members within the preceding six months will be ineligible to participate in the NPL.
Khadka also clarified that all overseas players, including retired cricketers, must obtain a No Objection Certificate from their respective national cricket boards before participating in the tournament.
Anti-corruption measures form another major component of the ICC's regulations. Although Nepal has yet to formulate its own comprehensive anti-corruption and match-fixing regulations for cricket, CAN will implement the measures prescribed under the ICC's anti-corruption framework.
The provisions require adequate safeguards, resources and coverage throughout the tournament to protect the integrity of the competition. These include anti-corruption monitoring and the investigative and prosecutorial resources required under the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.
Meanwhile, the introduction of the Decision Review System (DRS) in the upcoming edition remains a major point of interest. Asked about its implementation, Khadka said a final decision would be made within the next three days.
The ICC sanction marks a significant development for Nepali franchise cricket, strengthening the NPL's international standing and easing the way for franchises to recruit overseas players for the upcoming season.
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