Sudurpaschim Royals have signed Sri Lankan top-order batter Thanuka Dabare for the remainder of Nepal Premier League (NPL) Season 3.

The franchise announced the signing on Instagram on Thursday, posting a photo of Dabare at the airport in Kathmandu, wearing a Sudurpaschim Royals scarf and holding a bouquet. The caption read, "A new addition to the Royals camp! Thanuka Dabare joins Sudurpaschim Royals for the remainder of SBLNPL."

The signing was also reported by OnlineKhabar on 13 November 2026.

Who is Thanuka Dabare?

Dabare, full name P. Thanuka Madshan Dabare, was born on 20 August 1998. He is a Sri Lankan top-order batter who has played first-class, List A, and T20 cricket in Sri Lanka and played for Colombo Kaps in the Lanka Premier League 2026.

His most recent headline innings came in September 2026, when he scored an unbeaten 100 off 50 balls—with 2 fours and 11 sixes—for Tamil Union against BRC in a Major Club T20 match at the SSC grounds. It was his maiden T20 century.

Dabare's career numbers

Sudurpaschim Royals chief executive officer Prakash Khadka said Dabare's arrival will strengthen the team's top order.

"Thanuka Dabare has experience. He is a player who can bat aggressively. We believe his arrival will further strengthen our top order and add depth to the team's batting," Khadka said.

Dabare said he was excited to play in the NPL.

"I am happy to join Sudurpaschim Royals. I am excited to come to Nepal to play in the NPL and contribute to the team. My goal is to perform well in the tournament and help the team win the title," he said.

The Royals are third in the points table with eight points from six matches (four wins, two losses), and they play Kathmandu Gurkhas in Match 24 on Friday, 13 November at 12:30 PM NPT at Kirtipur.

Dabare joins an overseas group that already includes Scott Kuggeleijn, Brandon McMullen, and Saif Zaib. A playing XI can field at most four overseas players, so Dabare will have to earn his place — and no announcement has confirmed whether he is available for today's match against Kathmandu. That will only be clear at the toss.

No replacement player was named in the reports checked, so it is not confirmed whether Dabare replaces an injured or departing player or is simply an addition to the squad.

The Royals, captained by Dipendra Singh Airee and coached by Misbah-ul-Haq, reached the final in both previous NPL seasons. With the league stage ending on 15 November and the final on 21 November, a late overseas addition is a clear sign they are pushing for the title this time.