Sudurpaschim Royals Squad 2026: NPL 2026 Captain
The sudurpaschim royals squad 2026 keeps Dipendra Singh Airee as captain with three overseas stars for NPL Season 3 opener vs Lumbini Lions in Kirtipur.
The sudurpaschim royals squad 2026 is set for another title push withDipendra Singh Airee continuing as captain, former Pakistan captain Misbah-ul-Haq named as head coach on October 16, 2026, and overseas trio Scott Kuggeleijn, Brandon McMullen and Saif Zaib locked in. The Royals open NPL Season 3 against defending champions Lumbini Lions on October 26 at 4:30 PM NPT, with all 32 matches of the October 26 to November 21 window scheduled at TU International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur.
FAQWho is the captain of Sudurpaschim Royals in NPL 2026?
Dipendra Singh Airee is the Sudurpaschim Royals captain for NPL 2026, a role he has held since the inaugural 2024 season. As of October 2026 the franchise and league squad listings both show Airee as captain, and the Cricket Association of Nepal team pages listed him as captain for Season 2 as well. He is an all-rounder who bats right-handed and bowls right-arm offbreak, and he is also vice-captain of Nepal as of 2026. In a short T20 tournament with seven league games in 21 days, continuity matters. Having the same leader for a third year gives the Royals a settled middle order and a clear bowling plan at the death.
FAQWho is in the Sudurpaschim Royals squad for NPL 2026?
As of October 2026 the franchise lists 16 players: 7 retained, 6 auction buys and 3 overseas signings, with an auction spend of NPR 26 lakh reported by the league on its official teams page. The retained core was confirmed by the club on its social channels in August 2026 and includes Dipendra Singh Airee, Binod Bhandari, Aarif Sheikh, Ishan Pandey, Abinash Bohara, Hemant Dhami and Hikmat Mahara.
Overseas:Saif Ali Zaib from England, Scott Kuggeleijn from New Zealand and Brandon McMullen from Scotland. All three were announced through official franchise statements between August 12 and September 24, 2026.
Auction buys from the July 6, 2026 auction in Kathmandu: Dipak Bohara, Milan Bohara, Tek Rawat, Anil Kharel, Sachin Bhatta and Ayub Chand. Dipak Bohara was the biggest buy at NPR 10 lakh, followed by Milan Bohara and Anil Kharel at NPR 5 lakh each, and Ayub Chand, Sachin Bhatta and Tek Rawat at NPR 2 lakh each.
Sudurpaschim Royals players list by role as of October 2026. Local batters and keepers: Binod Bhandari is a wicketkeeper batter, Ishan Pandey and Aarif Sheikh are batters, Dipak Bohara and Tek Rawat are wicketkeepers. Bowlers and all-rounders: Abinash Bohara and Hemant Dhami are bowlers, Anil Kharel and Sachin Bhatta are bowlers, Milan Bohara is an all-rounder, Dipendra Singh Airee is an all-rounder, while Hikmat Mahara and Ayub Chand role not yet confirmed in official listings. Spinners: Saif Zaib adds left-arm spin, and the squad leans on off-spin from Airee and the seam of Kuggeleijn and Bohara for Kirtipur conditions.
FAQIs Dipendra Singh Airee available for the whole tournament?
As of October 15, 2026 there is no official statement from Sudurpaschim Royals or CAN that Dipendra Singh Airee will miss any part of NPL Season 3. The only overseas commitments verified for 2026 are his Pakistan Super League signing with Islamabad United and his ILT20 retention with Gulf Giants. PSL 11 was played in April 2026, with Islamabad United listing Airee in the squad and later signing Pavan Rathnayake as a replacement when Airee was unavailable for the later stages, and ILT20 typically runs in December to January, after the NPL window of October 26 to November 21. That means there is no direct clash on dates that can be verified today. Nepal also has international fixtures around the NPL period, but as of October 15, 2026 no clash that would rule Airee out of the whole tournament has been confirmed by the franchise. If the club issues an update on availability, this article will be updated.
FAQHow did Sudurpaschim Royals do in NPL 2024 and 2025?
Sudurpaschim Royals are two-time runners-up. In 2024 they topped the league stage and reached the final, where they lost to Janakpur Bolts. In 2025 they again reached the final and finished as runners-up after losing to Lumbini Lions. The 2025 final at Kirtipur saw the Royals bowled out for 85, the lowest total batting first in league history according to match reports from December 13, 2025. Saif Zaib of Sudurpaschim Royals was Player of the Series in 2024, and Scott Kuggeleijn of the Royals was joint top wicket-taker in 2024 with 17 wickets. Abinash Bohara of Sudurpaschim Royals was joint top wicket-taker of the 2025 season with 17 wickets, level with Sandeep Lamichhane and Sher Malla as per league records. As of October 2026 those results are the verified context for Season 3.
FAQWhat do the overseas players add?
Saif Ali Zaib is an England all-rounder who returns after being named best player of the inaugural edition. The franchise announcement on August 12, 2026 said he scored 275 runs and took 12 wickets in nine matches in 2024, and that he has scored more than 1,792 runs in 112 T20 matches at a strike rate above 140, with 23 wickets. Scott Kuggeleijn Sudurpaschim Royals fans know well. The New Zealand bowling all-rounder took 17 wickets in nine matches in the first edition and 10 wickets in nine matches in the second edition, as confirmed by Onlinekhabar on August 17, 2026. Brandon McMullen represents Scotland and re-signed on September 24, 2026 after playing the inaugural edition for the Royals. My view is that the three cover different phases: Kuggeleijn with new-ball pace and death overs, Saif Zaib with left-arm spin in the middle overs and left-handed batting, and McMullen with power hitting and seam that allows Airee to use his off-spin more flexibly.
FAQWhere are Sudurpaschim Royals strong, and where are the question marks?
The strength is continuity. Seven retained players from back-to-back finals know Kirtipur well, and the pace attack of Abinash Bohara and Scott Kuggeleijn has two seasons of data at this venue. My view is that the all-round depth is the clearest edge among NPL Season 3 teams, because Airee, Saif Zaib, McMullen and Milan Bohara can each bowl four overs. The question marks start with wicketkeeping balance. The Sudurpaschim Royals squad 2026 lists three wicketkeepers in Binod Bhandari, Dipak Bohara and Tek Rawat, which means the playing eleven must sacrifice a specialist batter or bowler to carry two keepers. There is also a lack of proven domestic spin beyond Airee and Zaib if the Kirtipur surface turns early, since Hikmat Mahara and Ayub Chand roles are not yet confirmed as spinners in official listings.
FAQWhich players should fans watch?
Dipendra Singh Airee. The Sudurpaschim Royals captain has led the side since 2024 and remains Nepal's most destructive middle-order hitter in T20s. His captaincy in a short season often decides bowling changes at the death, and his off-spin is valuable at Kirtipur. Abinash Bohara. The local pace leader was joint top wicket-taker in 2025 with 17 wickets and is retained for a third year. He bowls hard lengths at the death and, in my view, his match-up against Lumbini Lions' top order on October 26 will set the tone for the Royals. Saif Zaib. The England all-rounder was Player of the Series in 2024 and returns as the first overseas signing for 2026. His left-arm spin and ability to bat at four or five gives the Royals a left-right combination that was missing in the 2025 final.
FAQWhat to expect from Sudurpaschim Royals in Season 3
The Royals enter as two-time finalists, not champions, and that matters for expectation. Lumbini Lions are defending champions after winning 2025, and Janakpur Bolts won 2024, so the Royals are chasing. The format is unchanged: 28 group games from October 26 to November 15, with each team playing seven matches, then a four-team playoff. Qualifier 1 is on November 17, Eliminator on November 18, Qualifier 2 on November 19 and the final on November 21, all at TU International Cricket Ground. On paper, with the same core and three overseas players who have already played in Nepal, the Royals should contend for the top four. My view is that their path depends on whether the new head coach Misbah-ul-Haq can add batting depth around Airee without losing the bowling identity built under Jagat Tamata.
FAQCan the squad still change?
Squads can change during the tournament for injury or unavailability, and replacement announcements are made by the franchise and CAN】. As of October 2026 the 16 names above are the confirmed Sudurpaschim Royals squad 2026 from retained list, auction tracker and overseas announcements. Last updated: October 16, 2026. If any player is ruled out or replaced in the two weeks before the first ball, the list will be updated.
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