NPL awards: Full list of players & their achievements

KATHMANDU: Janakpur Bolts emerged victorious in the inaugural Nepal Premier League (NPL) by defeating Sudurpaschim Royals by five wickets in the final match.

The champions secured a cash prize of Rs 11 million alongside the coveted trophy.

The awards were presented during the prize distribution ceremony by Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, Maoist Center Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda,’ and Nepal Cricket Association (CAN) President Chatur Bahadur Chand.

Janakpur’s captain Ashif Sheikh and player Anil Shah received the prize on behalf of their team.

Sudurpaschim Royals, the runners-up, were awarded Rs 5.1 million by Youth and Sports Minister Tej Lal Chaudhary.

Meanwhile, Karnali Yaks and Chitwan Rhinos, finishing third and fourth, respectively, received Rs 2.5 million and Rs 1.5 million, presented by Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak and Madhesh Province Chief Minister Satish Kumar Singh.

In an extraordinary achievement, Sudurpaschim Royals’ captain Dipendra Singh Airee won a luxury Omoda E5 DLX electric car worth approximately Rs 6.2 million as the “Electric Flying Player of the Tournament.” Airee is the first Nepali cricketer to receive a car for his performance in a tournament. He scored 227 runs and took nine wickets in nine matches.

Janakpur Bolts’ Lalit Rajbanshi bagged the “Ultraviolette Electric Motorcycle” for his stellar performance, taking 17 wickets in the tournament.

The “Siddhartha Bank Player of the Tournament” award went to Sudurpaschim Royals’ Saif Zaib, who scored 275 runs and claimed 12 wickets, earning Rs 500,000.

American cricketer Lahiru Milantha, representing Janakpur Bolts, won the “Max Four of the Tournament” award for hitting 35 boundaries, alongside a cash prize of Rs 200,000.

Milantha accumulated a total of 293 runs during the league.

Jimmy Neesham from Janakpur Bolts received the “Energetic Player of the Tournament” award and a cash prize of Rs 200,000 for his contribution of 247 runs and seven wickets.

The “Emerging Player of the Tournament” title went to Karnali Yaks’ Bipin Sharma, who was awarded Rs 50,000 along with a scholarship worth Rs 1 million from Presidential Graduate School. Sharma took 13 wickets in the tournament.

Lumbini Lions earned the “Fair Play Award” for their exemplary conduct throughout the league.

The inaugural NPL concluded with thrilling matches and remarkable individual performances, setting a high benchmark for cricket in Nepal.