Sudurpaschim Royals have signed West Indies all-rounder Fabian Allen for the third season of the Nepal Premier League, the franchise announced on 25 October 2026.

The 31-year-old right-handed batter and left-arm orthodox spinner joins a squad that has reached the final in both previous editions. Royals CEO Prakash Khadka said Allen’s experience would strengthen the side’s spin options and lower-order batting. “Fabian Allen is an experienced T20 player. We believe his all-round ability will strengthen the team. We expect the team to benefit from his ability to spin bowl and bat aggressively in the lower order,” Khadka said, according to Ratopati.

Allen welcomed the move. “I am happy to be a part of Sudurpashchim Royals. I am excited to come to Nepal, play the NPL, and contribute to the team’s success. I will try to perform well in front of the supporters,” he said in the same report.

Allen has played 20 ODIs and 42 T20 Internationals for the West Indies, scoring 200 runs and taking seven wickets in ODIs and 298 runs and 24 wickets in T20Is. Across T20 cricket he has more than 1,600 runs and over 100 wickets, with a batting strike rate around 140. He has featured in multiple franchise leagues, including the Caribbean Premier League, and made his international debut during the West Indies’ 2018 tour of India. He took a break from the game in early 2022 before returning later that year.

The signing comes a day before NPL Season 3 begins. Royals open the tournament against defending champions Lumbini Lions on 26 October at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur. The league runs until 21 November, with all matches at the same venue. Matches now carry official List A T20 status after ICC sanction, and the Decision Review System will be used for the first time in the competition.

Royals, captained by Dipendra Singh Airee and coached by Misbah-ul-Haq, finished runners-up in both the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Allen joins fellow overseas players Sherfane Rutherford, Saif Ali Zaib, Scott Kuggeleijn, and Brandon McMullen. The addition gives the side further balance in the middle and lower order ahead of a campaign in which they are again expected to challenge for the title.

The Royals’ first match against the Lumbini Lions is scheduled for 26 October.