Pokhara Avengers: Bringing Star Power to the Tourist City in NPL 2025

Published · By Kushma Thapa

The Pokhara Avengers, representing the scenic city of Pokhara in Gandaki Province, are ready to launch a renewed campaign in the NPL 2025 season. The team is aiming to dramatically improve on their inaugural performance by investing heavily in global talent.

2024 Performance: A Thrilling but Tough Season

The Avengers' debut NPL season in 2024 was marked by near misses and a tough start:

  • League Finish: They finished in 7th place, one spot above the Lumbini Lions.

  • Match Record: They won only 2 games, but one of those was a particularly memorable match against the Biratnagar Kings that went into a Super Over after a tie.

The franchise, owned by Subodh Tripathi (Aarya Treading International) and Manobal Shrestha (Dhaiaama, Yeta Utaa Adventure Pvt. Ltd.), has demonstrated immense ambition by securing a high auction bid.

2025 Squad Composition: Overhaul for Success

The Pokhara Avengers secured their 2025 roster with an auction bid of रू3.57 crore (US$270,000), the highest total spent in the league, signalling their aggressive intent. They have completely overhauled their overseas slots with high-impact, big-game players.

Key Player Movements

Players Retained (7):

  • Kushal Bhurtel (Marquee/Captain)

  • Sagar Dhakal

  • Aakash Chand

  • Kiran Thagunna

  • Bipin Khatri

  • Trit Raj Das

  • Dinesh Kharel

New Local (Nepali) Players (5):

  • Rohit Chand

  • Abhisekh Tiwari

  • Krishna Poudel

  • Arjun Kumal

  • Sandeep Chhetri

New Foreign Players (6):

  • Jason Roy (England)

  • James Neesham (New Zealand)

  • Adam Rossington (England)

  • Daniel Alexander Douthwaite (England)

  • Matt Taylor (England)

  • Sumeet Verma (Uganda)

High-Impact Foreign Additions:

  • Jason Roy (England): An explosive, World Cup-winning opening batter, known for his fast scoring.

  • James Neesham (New Zealand): A proven high-quality all-rounder with excellent finishing ability (joining after playing for Janakpur in 2024).

  • Adam Rossington (England): A dynamic wicketkeeper-batter, providing firepower at the top.

  • Daniel Alexander Douthwaite (England) & Matt Taylor (England): All-rounders and bowlers who add significant depth to the pace attack.

Leadership and Home Base

The Pokhara Avengers represent the Pokhara region of Gandaki Province.

Their home ground is the Pokhara Cricket Ground.

Key information about the team:

  • Captain/Skipper: The team is captained by Marquee Player and Nepal national team star, Kushal Bhurtel.

  • Head Coach: For 2025, the team is coached by Rajiv Kumar.

  • Auction Bid: The Gorkhas had the highest bid in the auction, securing the roster at रू3.57 crore (US$270,000).

  • Debut Season: The team made its Nepal Premier League (NPL) debut in 2024.

Roster and Schedule Information

The Pokhara Avengers have demonstrated significant commitment to success in 2025 through their high-profile recruitment. They are currently seeking their first victory of the 2025 season (as of November 27, 2025).

For the latest updates on the full squad roster and match details, including upcoming fixtures: