Lumbini Lions Win NPL 2025 Title with Easy Final Victory

Lumbini Lions have won the Siddhartha Bank Nepal Premier League (NPL) title by defeating defending runners-up Sudurpaschim Royals. With this loss, Sudurpaschim finished as runners-up for the second straight season, while Lumbini became the new NPL champions.

Strong bowling from captain Rohit Paudel, Sher Malla, and Ruben Trumpelmann helped Lumbini bowl out Sudurpaschim for just 85 runs.

Chasing a small target of 86 runs in the final, Lumbini reached the target in just 9 overs to win the title comfortably.

This title win came after Lumbini won their last six matches in a row. After losing three straight matches earlier and facing the risk of being knocked out in the league stage, Lumbini made a strong comeback and lifted the NPL trophy.

In the final, opener Dinesh Adhikari gave Lumbini a flying start by hitting four sixes in the very first over bowled by Sudurpaschim captain Dipendra Singh Airee. Lumbini scored 27 runs in that over.

Dinesh played an explosive knock, scoring 42 runs off just 13 balls with one four and five sixes.

He added 58 runs for the first wicket with Darshi Short in just four overs. However, Hemant Dhami broke the partnership in the fifth over by dismissing both batters. Short was bowled for 13 runs off 14 balls, and Dinesh was caught on the third ball of the same over.

Earlier, at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur, Sudurpaschim Royals won the toss and chose to bat first but were all out for 85 runs in 19.1 overs.

This total was the lowest score ever in an NPL final and the joint fourth-lowest total in NPL history.

Sudurpaschim opener Ishan Pandey scored the highest runs for his team with 33 runs off 51 balls, hitting one four. He tried to hold the innings together as wickets fell at the other end.

Pandey and captain Dipendra added 25 runs for the fourth wicket. Dipendra scored 13 runs off 20 balls with one six. Hermit Singh and Scott Kuggeleijn scored 10 runs each.

For Lumbini, Ruben Trumpelmann, Rohit Paudel, and Sher Malla took three wickets each. Rohit completed a hat-trick in the 11th over, dismissing Dipendra Singh Airee, Deepak Bohara, and Punit Mehra on consecutive balls. He gave away only 12 runs in his four overs.

Trumpelmann took 3 wickets for just 3 runs in 2.1 overs, while Sher Malla took 3 wickets for 18 runs in 4 overs. Tilak Bhandari took one wicket, conceding 26 runs in four overs.