Nepal Premier League (NPL): A Strategic Market and Governance Assessment of the Himalayan Cricket Economy
The Nepal Premier League (NPL), branded commercially as the Siddhartha Bank Nepal Premier League, marks the most consequential shift in Nepal’s modern sports economy. Launched in 2024 and reaching institutional maturity by the end of its second season in December 2025, the league has evolved from a speculative franchise experiment into a nationally significant commercial and cultural platform.
Despite operating amid political unrest, economic slowdown, and governance scrutiny, the NPL has demonstrated that a professionally run T20 franchise league can survive and grow in an emerging Himalayan market. This article examines the NPL through three lenses: market performance, institutional governance, and long-term strategic risk.
Macroeconomic Context and the Himalayan Sporting Ecosystem
The NPL’s rise is tightly linked to Nepal’s broader economic environment. In FY 2024–25, GDP growth rebounded modestly to 4.6%, driven mainly by manufacturing, construction, and hydropower. In contrast, tourism and retail services suffered heavy disruption following youth-led anti-corruption protests in September 2025.
The unrest coincided with peak tourist season, resulting in a 30% decline in international arrivals. Hotels, airlines, and transport operators, all key NPL stakeholders, absorbed major losses. Against this backdrop, the league functioned as an unexpected stabilizer, injecting liquidity into a stressed service economy and sustaining consumer spending during a volatile quarter.
Key National Indicators and Their Impact on NPL
For Nepal’s youth, the league also served a symbolic role. It redirected national energy from protest to participation, branding itself effectively as the “Festival of Himalayas.”
Institutional Evolution and CAN’s Governance Model
The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) is both regulator and commercial owner of the NPL. The shift from Season 1 to Season 2 marked a decisive change in governance philosophy.
After outsourcing operations to an Indian sports management firm in 2024, CAN abandoned the third-party model in 2025. Branding, sponsorship sales, media rights, and production were brought fully in-house under the leadership of Secretary Paras Khadka, whose personal credibility proved central to investor confidence.
This move increased revenue capture but also concentrated risk. CAN now bears full responsibility for compliance, integrity, and crisis management in a politically sensitive environment.
ICC Sanctioning and Regulatory Ceiling
Unlike earlier failed leagues, the NPL enjoys official ICC sanctioning, allowing participation by active international players and legitimate broadcast sales. However, the league still lacks List A status, restricting it to four active Test-nation players across the entire competition.
As a result, the NPL has pursued a hybrid recruitment strategy: recently retired stars, associate-nation elites, and specialist T20 professionals who deliver brand value without breaching ICC limits.
Commercial Performance and Revenue Scaling
The league’s financial growth between 2024 and 2025 was substantial and measurable.
CAN Revenue Growth
The installation of floodlights at the TU International Cricket Ground was a turning point. Night matches doubled prime-time inventory and unlocked Kathmandu’s evening leisure economy.
Franchise Valuation and Market Concentration
The inaugural franchise auction valued the eight teams at nearly NPR 169 million, revealing strong geographic and capital concentration.
The ownership of Kathmandu Gorkhas by a major media house offers visibility but raises long-term concerns about editorial independence when governance controversies arise.
Media Distribution and Digital Reach
South Asian Broadcast Strategy
Partnerships with Star Sports and FanCode positioned the NPL within South Asia’s core cricket market. Production quality in 2025 met international HD standards, reinforcing Nepal’s destination branding through scenic broadcasts from Kirtipur.
Diaspora-Focused OTT Model
DishHome Go secured OTT rights with a base fee and a 71% revenue-sharing upside for CAN. Pricing tiers targeted:
Domestic viewers: Free-to-air and low-cost mobile packs
Overseas Nepalis: Premium subscriptions, up to USD 500
Opening-day concurrent viewership crossed 200,000, signaling readiness for paid digital consumption.
Governance Crises and Integrity Risks
Surrogate Advertising and Legal Conflict
The league’s continued association with betting-linked surrogate brands has placed CAN in conflict with Nepal’s Advertising Board and under CIB scrutiny. While CAN cites legal ambiguity, the reputational risk is significant and may deter future blue-chip sponsors.
Match-Fixing and Illegal Betting
Multiple arrests during Season 2 confirmed active betting syndicates operating both inside and outside venues, using digital wallets and cryptocurrency. CAN’s current integrity framework remains narrowly focused on on-field activity, leaving digital and financial vectors exposed.
Sporting Outcomes and Competitive Balance
Season 2 Championship
The Lumbini Lions completed a dramatic turnaround, defeating the Sudurpaschim Royals in a one-sided final. Bowling dominance defined the match, highlighted by Ruben Trumpelmann’s spell and Rohit Paudel’s historic hat-trick.
Performance Leaders
The league also reinforced its development role, awarding a NPR 1.5M scholarship to Emerging Player Tilak Raj Bhandari.
Strategic Outlook: 2026 and Beyond
Priority Reforms
Independent Integrity Unit with transnational monitoring capacity
Full advertising compliance to avoid regulatory shutdowns
Long-term franchise agreements insulated from political shifts
Growth Enablers
Securing ICC List A status
Developing satellite venues in Pokhara and Biratnagar
Mandating franchise-led regional academies
Conclusion
The Nepal Premier League has proven it can operate as Nepal’s most valuable sporting and cultural export. Its commercial fundamentals are strong, its audience is expanding, and its soft-power potential is real. Yet its future hinges on governance reform.
If CAN can transition from personality-driven management to rule-based institutional control, the NPL can mature into a durable, multi-decade platform. If not, its rapid rise risks being undermined by the same integrity failures that destroyed its predecessors.
Handled correctly, the NPL can remain what it aspires to be: Nepal’s Festival of Himalayas, played on a global stage.