Top Foreign Players to Watch in NPL 2025

The Nepal Premier League 2025 is back for its second season, and fans are excited to see the foreign players who will make this tournament more thrilling. Eight franchises have signed 43 foreign players, including big names like Chris Lynn, Faf du Plessis, and Martin Guptill. Some of these players have played in the first NPL, while several new faces will make their debut, giving cricket fans fresh excitement.

From First NPL to Second

Out of 43 foreign players, 14 have played in the first season of NPL. Teams have retained some experienced players and also signed new talents to strengthen their squads.

• Lumbini Lions are the only team without any returning players.
• Chitwan Rhinos have three former players, including Ravi Bopara and Sohail Tanvir, who were top performers last season.
• Pokhara Avengers also retained three players: Raymon Reifer, Jimmy Neesham, and Daniel Alexander Douthwaite.
• Defending champions Janakpur Bolts kept Lahiru Milantha, the top scorer of the first season.
• Sudurpaschim Royals bring back bowlers Scott Kuggeleijn and Harmeet Singh.
• Other notable returning foreign stars include Martin Guptill (Biratnagar Kings) and Gerhard Erasmus (Kathmandu Gorkhas).

These players are some of the foreign players to watch in NPL 2025 for their skills and experience.

Biratnagar Kings: Faf du Plessis

• Faf du Plessis, the South African star, joins Biratnagar Kings.
• Known for his aggressive batting and excellent fielding.
• Two-time IPL champion and former South African captain.
• Recently played in Major League Cricket (USA) and 2025 IPL with Delhi Capitals.
• Strengths: power-hitting, experience, and leadership.

Janakpur Bolts: Wayne Parnell

• Wayne Parnell, the South African medium-pacer, joins Janakpur Bolts.
• Played in five IPL editions and over 300 T20 matches worldwide.
• Brings both bowling and batting skills as a strong all-rounder.
• International experience: 496 wickets and significant contributions in First Class and List A cricket.
• Strengths: left-arm pace, handy with the bat, and consistency.

Chitwan Rhinos: Dawid Malan

• Dawid Malan, England's left-handed top-order batter, joins Chitwan Rhinos.
• Known for his international experience and consistency in T20 cricket.
• Played in 22 Tests, 30 ODIs, and 62 T20Is.
• Part of England's T20 World Cup-winning squad in 2022.
• Strengths: top-order batting, big scores, and adaptability across formats.

Kathmandu Gorkhas: Milind Kumar

• Milind Kumar, the USA all-rounder, joins Kathmandu Gorkhas.
• Made his international debut at age 33.
• Played 22 ODIs and 21 T20Is.
• ODI batting average of 67.73, one of the highest in history.
• Scored 1,016 runs in League 2 (2024–26) and has taken 28 ODI wickets and 12 T20I wickets.
• Strengths: all-round ability, consistency, and big-hitting.

Lumbini Lions: Gulbadin Naib

• Gulbadin Naib from Afghanistan joins Lumbini Lions.
• Known for his power-hitting and strong bowling.
• Took 74 ODI wickets in 80 matches and 35 T20I wickets in 46 matches.
• Strengths: hitting boundaries, taking wickets, and physical presence on the field.

Pokhara Avengers: Jason Roy

• Jason Roy, the English opener, joins Pokhara Avengers.
• Known for his aggressive batting style.
• Played 116 ODIs, 5 Tests, and 64 T20Is for England.
• Scored over 10,500 T20 runs in 412 matches worldwide.
• Strengths: attacking opener, consistency in T20 leagues, and experience.

Sudurpaschim Royals: Chris Lynn

• Chris Lynn from Australia joins Sudurpaschim Royals.
• Famous for his consistent T20 batting across many leagues worldwide.
• Played in over 30 franchise leagues including IPL, BBL, PSL, and LPL.
• Top run-scorer in Australia's BBL with 3,955 runs in 127 matches.
• Strengths: big-hitting, experience, and power-hitting in T20s.

Karnali Yaks: Max O'Dowd

• Max O'Dowd, the Dutch opener, joins Karnali Yaks.
• Netherlands' leading run-scorer in ODIs and T20Is.
• Scored over 2,300 T20 runs and 2,153 ODI runs.
• Performed well in Nepal last year with multiple high scores.
• Strengths: consistency, experience, and top-order stability.

These foreign stars are some of the top players to watch in NPL 2025. Fans can expect exciting performances, big hits, and memorable matches from these international talents.