Jimmy Neesham joins Pokhara Avengers for NPL 2025
Neesham, 35, was a standout performer in the inaugural NPL season, representing Janakpur Bolts.
KATHMANDU: Pokhara Avengers have confirmed New Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham as their fourth overseas signing for the Nepal Premier League (NPL) 2025, the franchise announced on Friday.
The second edition of the tournament is set to begin on Nov 17.
Neesham, 35, was a standout performer in the inaugural NPL season, representing Janakpur Bolts and playing a key role in their championship-winning campaign with impactful all-round displays.
Earlier this week, he revealed that he would not return to Janakpur for this season, paving the way for his move to Pokhara.
With this signing, Pokhara Avengers bolster their squad with one of world cricket’s most experienced T20 all-rounders.
Neesham becomes the third New Zealander confirmed for NPL 2025, following Martin Guptill (Biratnagar Kings) and Scott Kuggeleijn (Sudurpashchim Royals).
Unlike Guptill and Kuggeleijn, who continue with their previous teams, Neesham makes a high-profile switch to a new franchise.
Neesham’s international credentials are impressive: he has featured in 12 Tests, 76 ODIs, and 93 T20Is for New Zealand.
In T20Is alone, he has scored over 1,000 runs at a strike rate near 150 and taken 56 wickets, including a career-best 5/22.
He was part of New Zealand’s squads in the 2019 Cricket World Cup and the 2021 T20 World Cup, both of which saw the team finish as runners-up, and also played in the 2024 T20 World Cup, marking a strong return to T20Is in March 2024 with a five-wicket haul against Pakistan.
Beyond international cricket, Neesham is a globe-trotting franchise player.
He has appeared for multiple IPL teams—Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, Mumbai Indians, and Rajasthan Royals—and competed in top leagues worldwide, including the Big Bash League, Caribbean Premier League, Pakistan Super League, Bangladesh Premier League, SA20, The Hundred, and England’s Vitality Blast. Over 300 T20 matches, he has amassed 4,496 runs and taken 269 wickets.
For Pokhara Avengers, Neesham joins an already strong overseas lineup featuring Ramon Reifer (West Indies), Dan Douthwaite (England), and Adam Rossington (England), alongside Nepal’s marquee player Kushal Bhurtel.
The franchise expects Neesham’s all-round skills, experience, and big-hitting ability to be a major asset as they aim for a strong campaign in NPL 2025.
