Defending Nepal Premier League champions, the Lumbini Lions have retained former India fast bowler Tinu Yohannan as head coach for the third edition, Ratopati reported on 5 October 2026.

Yohannan held the same role in the 2025 season, when Lumbini recovered from a seventh-place finish in the inaugural 2024 tournament to win their first title. The franchise announced his appointment for that campaign on its official website. Ratopati’s English report is an automatic translation of its Nepali article and carries a disclaimer about possible language errors; the core claim of retention appears in both versions. No separate franchise statement confirming the 2026 coaching decision was available at the time of the report.

The continuity matters for a side built around a late surge last season. Lumbini opened the 2025 campaign with a win, then lost three matches in a row before winning six in succession, including the playoffs. In the final at Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on 13 December 2025, they bowled Sudurpaschim Royals out for 85 and chased the target in nine overs to win by six wickets. Captain Rohit Paudel took a hat-trick in that match.

Paudel remains Lumbini’s marquee player and captain for 2026. The franchise had already confirmed retention of Paudel, Sher Malla, and Sundeep Jora, among others, earlier in the year. In the title-winning season Paudel scored 276 runs in 10 matches, the second-highest total in the tournament. Malla took 17 wickets, joint-most alongside Sandeep Lamichhane and Abinash Bohara.

Yohannan, the first man from Kerala to play for India, appeared in three Tests and three ODIs between 2001 and 2002. He has also played 59 first-class and 45 List A matches and has coached at Kerala and, in 2024-25, Andhra. In Lumbini’s title season, the support group also included mentor Robin Singh and former Nepal cricketer Shakti Gauchan.

Off the field, the franchise appointed Sandesh Katuwal as chief executive officer in July 2026, with previous CEO Bhavana Ghimire moving to executive director, Online Khabar reported at the time.

The third edition, organized by the Cricket Association of Nepal, runs from 26 October to 21 November 2026, with every match at the TU ground in Kirtipur. Lumbini open their title defense against the Sudurpaschim Royals on 26 October, a rematch of last season’s final. The final is scheduled for 21 November.