NPL playoff race heats up: Four teams in contention as today’s clash becomes decisive

KATHMANDU: The Nepal Premier League (NPL) enters a crucial phase today with the 25th league-stage match between Lumbini Lions and Janakpur Bolts— a game that will determine the final team to enter the playoffs.

Three of the four playoff spots are already confirmed. Sudurpaschim Royals remain unbeaten at the top of the table and have secured a place in Qualifier 1.

Kathmandu Gorkhas and Biratnagar Kings have also entered the playoffs and are competing for the second Qualifier 1 slot.

Their positioning will be decided after Saturday’s match between Sudurpaschim and Biratnagar.

If Biratnagar wins that match, both Kathmandu and Biratnagar will be tied at 10 points, leaving the Qualifier 1 spot to be decided by net run rate. Kathmandu currently holds a superior run rate of 0.537 compared to Biratnagar’s 0.189.

For Biratnagar to overtake Kathmandu, they must defeat Sudurpaschim by a large margin.

A loss, however, would automatically place Kathmandu in Qualifier 1 and push Biratnagar into the Eliminator.

In the playoff format, the top two teams compete in Qualifier 1 for a direct entry to the final.

The third and fourth teams face off in the Eliminator, with the winner meeting the loser of Qualifier 1 in Qualifier 2 for the remaining final berth.

The race for the fourth playoff spot now hinges on today’s match. A victory for Lumbini Lions would take them straight into the playoffs with eight points.

However, if Lumbini loses, Janakpur Bolts, Pokhara Avengers, and Chitwan Rhinos will all remain in contention. Karnali Yaks are already out of the playoff race.

If Janakpur wins today, they must also defeat Karnali Yaks in their final match to stay alive.

Pokhara and Chitwan, meanwhile, face do-or-die situations in their last fixtures. Should Janakpur win both matches, they will compete on net run rate with the winner of the Pokhara–Chitwan match for the final playoff spot.