The Kings of Nepal! Lumbini Lions Clinch NPL 2025 Title with Historic Final Victory

Published · By Kushma Thapa

The Lumbini Lions were crowned the champions of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) Season 2 after producing a dominant and ruthless performance to defeat the Sudurpaschim Royals by a comprehensive six-wicket margin in the Grand Finale on Saturday.2

The victory concludes a stunning turnaround for the Lions, who started the season with three straight losses but staged a miraculous comeback, winning six consecutive must-win matches—including the Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and the Final—to lift the trophy.3

Captain Paudel's Hat-Trick Seals Royals' Fate

The foundation for the Lions' victory was laid in the first innings, led by a devastating bowling display from the Lions' captain, Rohit Paudel.4

  • After the Royals won the toss and elected to bat, they were bundled out for a meager 85 runs in 19.1 overs—the lowest total ever recorded in an NPL Final.5

  • The collapse was highlighted by a sensational hat-trick from captain Rohit Paudel, who dismissed the Royals' captain Dipendra Singh Airee, Dipak Bohara, and Puneet Mehra on successive deliveries.6 Paudel finished with incredible figures of 3 wickets for 12 runs.

  • Fast bowler Ruben Trumpelmann (3/3) and spinner Sher Malla (3/18) also shared the spoils, ensuring the Royals were decimated and failed to cross the 100-run mark for the first time all tournament.7

Lions Chase Down Target in Record Time

Chasing a target of just 86 runs, the Lions completed the chase in a spectacular nine overs, losing four wickets, demonstrating their intent to finish the job quickly.8

  • Opener Dinesh Adhikari set the tone by smashing four sixes in the opening over, racing to an incredible 42 runs off just 13 balls before being dismissed.9

  • Captain Rohit Paudel contributed a swift 16 runs off 12 balls, while Niroshan Dickwella (11)* remained unbeaten, guiding the team to the title with a massive 66 balls to spare.10

Royals Suffer Second Straight Final Defeat

For the Sudurpaschim Royals, it was a heartbreaking end to an otherwise dominant season. After topping the league stage table with a near-perfect record, they suffered their second consecutive Grand Finale defeat, having also finished as runners-up in the inaugural NPL 2024 season.11

The Lumbini Lions' triumph, powered by their local and international stars, marks their first-ever NPL championship and cements their legendary journey from bottom-of-the-table strugglers to the undisputed Kings of Nepal Premier League Season 2.