New Zealand pace bowler Scott Kuggeleijn is set to play a third straight season for the Sudurpaschim Royals after the franchise confirmed his re-signing for Nepal Premier League (NPL) Season 3 on Monday.

Kuggeleijn becomes the Royals' second overseas signing for the upcoming season, joining England all-rounder Saif Zaib, who was announced earlier. NPL Season 3 is scheduled to run from October 26 to November 21, 2026.

The Kiwi seamer has been one of the Royals' most consistent overseas performers since the tournament's launch. In the inaugural NPL season, he took 17 wickets in nine matches, finishing joint-top of the wicket-taking charts. He followed that up with 10 wickets in nine appearances in Season 2.

Sudurpaschim Royals CEO Prakash Khadka welcomed the news of Kuggeleijn's return, saying the team expects him to replicate his earlier form and help the franchise chase its first NPL title.

"We expect him to make the same contribution he made in the first and second editions. We believe he will play an important role in helping us win our first title," Khadka said in the franchise's statement.

Alongside Kuggeleijn's return, the Royals have retained a core group from previous seasons: captain Dipendra Singh Airee, Binod Bhandari, Aarif Sheikh, Ishan Pandey, Abinash Bohara, Hemant Dhami, and Hikmat Mahara. The franchise also added six players through the Season 3 auction—Deepak Bohara, Milan Bohara, Tek Rawat, Anil Kharel, Sachin Bhatta, and Aayush Chand.

With Kuggeleijn and Zaib both confirmed, attention now turns to whether Sudurpaschim will add further overseas signings ahead of the Season 3 opener next month. Full fixtures and squad details are on the NPL 2026 Schedule, NPL 2026 Teams, and Sudurpaschim Royals squad pages.