NPL 2026 Schedule and Teams: US Times, Captains and Stars
Your NPL season 3 cheat sheet: every match in US Eastern time, plus the captain and star player for all eight teams.
The Nepal Premier League (NPL) season 3 runs from Monday, Oct 26 to Saturday, Nov 21, 2026, with every match at TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. If you are watching from the US East Coast, set early alarms: matches start at 2:45 AM and 7:15 AM EDT through Oct 31, then 1:45 AM and 6:15 AM EST from Nov 1, when US clocks fall back. The opener is Lumbini Lions vs Sudurpaschim Royals on Oct 26 at 7:15 AM EDT.
The schedule follows the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) fixture list and is subject to change.
NPL 2026 start times in US time
CAN revised the start times on Oct 20. On double-header days the first match starts at 12:30 PM and the second at 5:00 PM Nepal time. Single-match days start at 5:00 PM.
| Nepal time | US Eastern (Oct 26–31) | US Eastern (Nov 1 on) | US Pacific (Nov 1 on) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:30 PM | 2:45 AM EDT | 1:45 AM EST | 10:45 PM PST (night before) |
| 5:00 PM | 7:15 AM EDT | 6:15 AM EST | 3:15 AM PST |
Nepal does not change its clocks, so the US gap grows by one hour on Nov 1. In Central time, subtract one more hour from Eastern. In Pacific time, subtract three.
The 8 NPL 2026 teams: captains and stars
| Team | Captain | Star to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Kathmandu Gorkhas | Karan KC | David Warner |
| Biratnagar Kings | Sandeep Lamichhane | Andre Russell |
| Lumbini Lions (defending champions) | Rohit Paudel | Sher Malla |
| Sudurpaschim Royals | Dipendra Singh Airee | Binod Bhandari |
| Pokhara Avengers | Kushal Bhurtel | Shakib Al Hasan |
| Karnali Yaks | Sompal Kami | David Miller (new signing) |
| Chitwan Rhinos | Kushal Malla | Sikandar Raza |
| Janakpur Bolts | Harmeet Singh | Moeen Ali |
A few storylines: Lumbini Lions defend their title. Sudurpaschim Royals have lost two finals and want a first trophy. Janakpur Bolts, the season 1 champions, have a new captain in Harmeet Singh. And Karnali Yaks bring in "Killer" David Miller as their big new signing.
Full NPL 2026 fixtures (with US Eastern times)
Dates are Nepal dates. Because Nepal is ahead, every match starts on the same calendar date in US Eastern time, early in the morning (or late the night before on the West Coast).
Oct 26–31 (US on EDT)
| Date (Nepal) | 12:30 PM Nepal / 2:45 AM EDT | 5:00 PM Nepal / 7:15 AM EDT |
|---|---|---|
| Mon, Oct 26 | — | Lumbini Lions v Sudurpaschim Royals |
| Tue, Oct 27 | Biratnagar Kings v Chitwan Rhinos | Karnali Yaks v Janakpur Bolts |
| Wed, Oct 28 | — | Pokhara Avengers v Sudurpaschim Royals |
| Thu, Oct 29 | Janakpur Bolts v Kathmandu Gorkhas | Karnali Yaks v Biratnagar Kings |
| Sat, Oct 31 | Lumbini Lions v Chitwan Rhinos | Sudurpaschim Royals v Biratnagar Kings |
Nov 1–15 (US on EST)
| Date (Nepal) | 12:30 PM Nepal / 1:45 AM EST | 5:00 PM Nepal / 6:15 AM EST |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, Nov 1 | — | Janakpur Bolts v Pokhara Avengers |
| Mon, Nov 2 | Kathmandu Gorkhas v Karnali Yaks | Sudurpaschim Royals v Chitwan Rhinos |
| Tue, Nov 3 | Biratnagar Kings v Janakpur Bolts | Lumbini Lions v Pokhara Avengers |
| Thu, Nov 5 | Lumbini Lions v Janakpur Bolts | Kathmandu Gorkhas v Biratnagar Kings |
| Fri, Nov 6 | Sudurpaschim Royals v Karnali Yaks | Chitwan Rhinos v Pokhara Avengers |
| Sat, Nov 7 | — | Kathmandu Gorkhas v Lumbini Lions |
| Mon, Nov 9 | Pokhara Avengers v Karnali Yaks | Chitwan Rhinos v Kathmandu Gorkhas |
| Tue, Nov 10 | — | Sudurpaschim Royals v Janakpur Bolts |
| Thu, Nov 12 | Biratnagar Kings v Pokhara Avengers | Karnali Yaks v Lumbini Lions |
| Fri, Nov 13 | Kathmandu Gorkhas v Sudurpaschim Royals | Janakpur Bolts v Chitwan Rhinos |
| Sat, Nov 14 | — | Biratnagar Kings v Lumbini Lions |
| Sun, Nov 15 | Chitwan Rhinos v Karnali Yaks | Pokhara Avengers v Kathmandu Gorkhas |
Rest days: Oct 30, Nov 4, Nov 8, Nov 11 and Nov 20.
Playoffs and final (all 5:00 PM Nepal / 6:15 AM EST)
| Date (Nepal) | Match | Teams |
|---|---|---|
| Tue, Nov 17 | Qualifier 1 | 1st v 2nd |
| Wed, Nov 18 | Eliminator | 3rd v 4th |
| Thu, Nov 19 | Qualifier 2 | Loser Q1 v Winner Eliminator |
| Sat, Nov 21 | Final | Winner Q1 v Winner Q2 |
FAQ
When does NPL 2026 start in the US? The opener, Lumbini Lions vs Sudurpaschim Royals, starts Monday, Oct 26 at 7:15 AM EDT (4:15 AM PDT).
What time is the NPL 2026 final in the US? Saturday, Nov 21 at 6:15 AM EST (3:15 AM PST), if the schedule holds.
Where are NPL 2026 matches played? All matches are at TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, near Kathmandu.
How many matches are there? Reports differ on the number of league matches, so we are not giving a firm total. The fixture list above follows CAN and is subject to change.
Will DRS be used? Yes. CAN says the Decision Review System will be used in all NPL matches this season.
Save the cheat sheets and follow @jurelimedia on Instagram for match-day reminders.
Sources
- Cricket Association of Nepal fixture list, via ICTframe (Sep 20, 2026)
- Kathmandu Post: Lumbini Lions to face Sudurpaschim Royals in NPL opener (Sep 20, 2026)
- Republica: DRS to be used in all NPL matches; schedule revised (Oct 20, 2026)
- Team captains and stars: Kathmandu Post (Jun 20, Sep 20, Oct 23, 2026), Onlinekhabar English (Oct 23), Cricnepal team pages, Khabarhub (Aug 8), Nagarik News (Oct 23)
Image credits
- Hero and cheat sheet backgrounds: TU International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur, by Godknowme1, CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped and faded on cheat sheets.
- Cheat sheet graphics: Jureli Media.
