The third season of the Nepal Premier League will begin on October 26, when defending champions Lumbini Lions take on Sudurpaschim Royals at the TU International Cricket Stadium in Kirtipur. The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has released the schedule for the 27-day tournament, which ends with the Grand Finale under lights on November 21, according to The Kathmandu Post.

Royals have reached the final twice.

Eight teams, single round-robin

Eight franchises will play each other once in the league stage: Lumbini Lions, Sudurpaschim Royals, Biratnagar Kings, Chitwan Rhinos, Karnali Yaks, Janakpur Bolts, Pokhara Avengers, and Kathmandu Gorkhas.

Single-header days start at 4:30pm. On double-header days, the first match begins at 12:30pm and the second at 4:30pm.

The first double-header is on October 27, the second day. Biratnagar Kings play Chitwan Rhinos in the afternoon, followed by Karnali Yaks against Janakpur Bolts, the inaugural NPL champions.

The league phase has four rest days: October 30, November 4, November 8, and November 11. It closes on November 15 with a double-header of Chitwan Rhinos v Karnali Yaks and Pokhara Avengers v Kathmandu Gorkhas.

Playoff format

The top four teams qualify for the playoffs. The first playoff match is on November 17, and the format is:

Finishing in the top two gives a team a second chance, since the Qualifier 1 loser still plays in Qualifier 2. Teams placed third and fourth have no margin for error and must win the eliminator to stay alive.

Every match will be played at the TU International Cricket Stadium, Kirtipur, so no team faces a travel disadvantage.