Sudurpaschim Royals: Driven by Redemption in NPL 2025

Published · By Kushma Thapa

The Sudurpaschim Royals, representing the Kailali region of Sudurpashchim Province, are back for the NPL 2025 season with a singular focus: reversing the result of the 2024 final.

2024 Performance: Dominant Runners-Up

The Royals were undeniably the most dominant team in the inaugural NPL season (2024).

  • Group Stage Perfection: They won all of their group stage matches, securing the top spot.

  • Finalists: They won Qualifier 1 to book a direct place in the final, but ultimately lost a thrilling championship match to the Janakpur Bolts.

Driven by this near-miss, the Royals are looking to convert their 2024 dominance into the 2025 title.

2025 Squad Composition: Power-Packed Additions

The franchise, owned by Pratap Shah (Tourism Ambassador of Nepal to Australia/Empire Sports), secured their 2025 roster with an auction bid of रू1.68 crore (US$130,000). They have retained their strong Nepali core, led by the national team's most valuable all-rounder, while bringing in big-hitting foreign specialists.

Key Player Movements

  • Players Retained (6):

    • Dipendra Singh Airee (Marquee/Captain), Binod Bhandari, Avinash Bohara, Ishan Pandey, Aarif Sheikh, Naren Saud

  • New Local (Nepali) Players (5):

    • Dipak Bohara, Hemant Dhami, Hikmat Mahara, Tek Rawat, Milan Bohara, Dipendra Thapa

  • New Foreign Players (2):

    • Josh Brown (AUS), Chris Lynn (AUS)

  • Retained Foreign Core:

    • Harmeet Singh (IND) and Scott Kuggeleijn (NZ) were key performers in 2024 and have been retained to maintain the team's balance.

International Star Power

The 2025 squad is significantly bolstered by T20 specialists known for explosive batting:

  • Chris Lynn (Australia): One of the world's most destructive T20 openers, brought in to provide blazing starts.

  • Josh Brown (Australia): A high-impact batter known for his powerful hitting.

  • Scott Kuggeleijn (New Zealand): Retained for his seam bowling and powerful lower-order hitting.

  • Harmeet Singh (India): Retained for his valuable left-arm spin bowling contribution.

Leadership and Home Base

The Sudurpaschim Royals represent the Kailali region of Sudurpashchim Province. Their home ground is the Fapla Cricket Ground.

Key information about the team:

  • Captain/Skipper: The team is led by Marquee Player and star all-rounder, Dipendra Singh Airee.

  • Head Coach: For 2025, the team is coached by Jagat Tamata.

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

Roster and Schedule Information

Having been the standout team in the league stage of 2024, the Sudurpaschim Royals are undoubtedly one of the top contenders for the NPL 2025 title.

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