Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar will join Himalaya Sports’ broadcast team as a special guest for the third edition of the Nepal Premier League, the broadcaster announced on 16 October 2026.

Akhtar, widely known as the “Rawalpindi Express,” has been signed for Himalaya Sports’ pre-match and post-match program Red Bull Cricket Live in Association with Bajaj Pulsar. During the shows, he is expected to share experiences from his international career, offer technical analysis of matches, and discuss the development of cricket in Nepal.

His trip will also include cricket-related interactions and fan meet-and-greet events. Suraj Giri, chief executive officer and director of Himalaya Sports, described the collaboration as an important step for sports broadcasting in Nepal, saying it brings the experience of an internationally recognised player to Nepali audiences.

Himalaya Sports has already named presenter Navneet Krishna, former Ireland international Kevin O’Brien, and former Nepal player Bardan Chalise as part of its coverage team. The broadcaster holds the rights for NPL Season 3, which is scheduled to run from 26 October to 21 November 2026.

Akhtar represented Pakistan between 1997 and 2011. He took 178 wickets in 46 Tests, 247 wickets in 163 ODIs, and 19 wickets in 15 T20Is. He holds the record for the fastest officially recorded delivery in cricket history, clocked at 161.3 km/h against England during the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup.