Wayne Parnell Makes History as First International Player to Captain NPL Franchise

Former South African cricket all-rounder Wayne Parnell has been appointed captain of the Janakpur Bolts for their Nepal Premier League (NPL) match against Sudurpaschim Royals on Saturday. Parnell won the toss at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground and elected to bat first, making him the first foreign player to captain an NPL franchise.

This decision follows a poor start to the season for the Bolts, who had lost their first three matches, coupled with the poor form of regular captain Anil Sah. Sah has been dropped from the playing eleven for this game and replaced by Aditya Mahata. Parnell was included in the squad only in the previous match, where he scored an unbeaten half-century against Pokhara.

The Janakpur Bolts, who were the reigning champions after defeating Sudurpaschim last year, have had a significantly weak performance this season. The team also notably left out last season’s key player, Lahiru Milantha, from the playing eleven in their previous outing. Marquee wicketkeeper-batter Aasif Sheikh, who led the team to the title last season when Sah was injured, has not been given a leadership role this time.

The Sudurpaschim Royals, in contrast, have had an excellent campaign, winning all four of their matches to currently sit at the top of the league standings. For the Janakpur Bolts to keep their playoff hopes alive, they must secure victories in all four of their remaining fixtures. Sudurpaschim made one change to their lineup, replacing Naren Saud with Milan Bohara.