KATHMANDU, Aug 10: All-rounder Mohammad Adil Alam, returning to Nepali cricket after a two-year ban, emerged as one of the biggest attractions in the second edition of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) Mini Auction held on Saturday in Lalitpur. Young spinner Yuvraj Khatri and all-rounder Sher Malla also drew significant attention from franchise teams.
A total of 150 cricketers were in the auction pool. Adil, listed in Category ‘A’ (maximum price Rs 1.5 million), attracted bids from all eight franchises before Kathmandu Gorkhas secured him via a lucky draw. Yuvraj, in Category ‘B’ (maximum price Rs 1 million), was pursued by five teams before Karnali Yaks won him in a lucky draw. Sher, also in Category ‘B’, was signed by Lumbini Lions after interest from four franchises.
Adil’s ban, imposed in January 2023 by the Cricket Association of Nepal under its Anti-Corruption Code for spot-fixing during the 2022 Nepal T20 League, was lifted in April this year. His return generated excitement in the auction hall, with multiple teams vying for his signature.
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Team Spending and Signings
Chitwan Rhinos were the highest spenders, purchasing five players for Rs 3.9 million, including openers Dev Khanal and Arjun Saud for the maximum Rs 1.5 million each. Pokhara Avengers spent the least, signing four players for a total of Rs 1.45 million. Kathmandu Gorkhas, with captain Karan KC as their marquee player, spent Rs 3.7 million on five players, including Adil.
Biratnagar Kings, led by marquee spinner Sandeep Lamichhane, spent Rs 2.7 million but failed to secure any player through a lucky draw. Lumbini Lions, captained by marquee Rohit Paudel, signed five players for Rs 3.2 million, including Sher and wicketkeeper-batter Dilip Nath. Defending champions Janakpur Bolts spent Rs 1.975 million, while Karnali Yaks completed their squad with four signings for Rs 2.9 million. Sudurpaschim Royals, last season’s runners-up, spent Rs 2.4 million on five players.
The mini auction saw 37 players sold, with another 11 signed from the “wishlist” at prices below their base values.
Big Names Left Unsold
Several experienced cricketers went unsold, including former national batter Sharad Vesawkar, who had featured in the ICC T20 World Cup, veteran batsman Pradeep Airee, and ex-U19 World Cup player Prithu Baskota. None were picked even from the wishlist.
First-Round Highlights
Category ‘A’ players Dev Khanal, Arjun Saud, and Pawan Sarraf fetched the maximum Rs 1.5 million each. Left-arm spinner Sushan Bhari (Category ‘A’) was sold to Biratnagar Kings at his base price of Rs 1 million. In Category ‘B’, Dilip Nath (Lumbini Lions) and Hemant Dhami (Sudurpaschim Royals) were among the highest earners at Rs 1 million.
The second edition of the NPL promises intense competition, with teams securing a mix of experienced and emerging talents through the mini auction.
