Sudurpaschim Royals vs Lumbini Lions Prediction, Fantasy Tips & Dream11 Team | NPL 2026 Match 1

Published - 06 Oct 2026, 14:05 GMT+5:45 | Updated - 06 Oct 2026, 14:18 GMT+5:45

The Nepal Premier League 2026 begins with a repeat of last season's final as Lumbini Lions take on Sudurpaschim Royals in the opening match of NPL Season 3.

The match will be played on Monday, October 26, 2026, at 4:30 PM Nepal time at the TU International Cricket Ground in Kirtipur.

Lumbini Lions enter the new season as defending champions after beating Sudurpaschim Royals by six wickets in the 2025 final. The Royals, however, had the stronger league campaign last season and finished second in the table.

With both teams retaining several key players, the opening game promises to be one of the most closely watched matches of NPL 2026.

Pre-match note

This prediction is being published before the toss and confirmed playing XIs. Fantasy selections should be checked again once both teams announce their lineups.

Match Details

Match	Lumbini Lions vs Sudurpaschim Royals
Tournament	NPL 2026 (Season 3)
Match	Match 1
Date	October 26
Time	04:30 PM
Venue	Tribhuvan University Cricket Ground, Kirtipur
Teams	Lumbini Lions, Sudurpaschim Royals

Lumbini Lions vs Sudurpaschim Royals:

There is very little to separate these two sides on paper.

Sudurpaschim Royals had an excellent league stage in NPL 2025, winning six of their seven league matches. Their top run-scorer was Binod Bhandari with 264 runs, while Abinash Bohara led the bowling attack with 17 wickets.

Lumbini Lions finished the 2025 league stage with four wins and three defeats before producing their best cricket in the playoffs. They eventually lifted the trophy after beating Sudurpaschim Royals in the final. Rohit Paudel scored 276 runs during the season, while Sher Malla finished as their leading wicket-taker with 17 wickets.

That final is still the biggest reason not to underestimate Lumbini. They bowled the Royals out for just 85 before chasing the target in only nine overs. Ruben Trumpelmann was named Player of the Match.

The new season, however, starts from zero

Team News

Lumbini Lions

Dipendra Singh Airee remains one of the most important players in the Royals setup and is listed as captain for the 2026 season. Binod Bhandari, Aarif Sheikh, and Scott Kuggeleijn are also among the retained players, while overseas options add further depth to the squad.

Kuggeleijn's return gives Sudurpaschim another experienced all-round option, particularly with both bat and ball.

The Royals will also look towards Abinash Bohara for wickets with the ball after his strong 2025 campaign.

Sudurpaschim Royals

Rohit Paudel continues to lead Lumbini Lions. The defending champions have retained important members of their title-winning squad, including Sundeep Jora, Sher Malla, and wicketkeeper Dilip Nath.

Lumbini also made a major move in the Season 3 auction by signing Aasif Sheikh for NPR 20 lakh, the highest price of the auction.

The overseas combination remains another major strength, with players such as Ruben Trumpelmann and Niroshan Dickwella adding experience to the side.

Players to Watch

Rohit Paudel – Lumbini Lions

Paudel was Lumbini's leading run-scorer in NPL 2025 with 276 runs. His ability to control the middle overs and contribute with the ball makes him one of the most valuable fantasy options in this match.

Binod Bhandari – Sudurpaschim Royals

Bhandari scored 264 runs in the previous season and is capable of making a quick impact at the top or in the middle order. He also adds wicketkeeping points to his fantasy value.

Ruben Trumpelmann – Lumbini Lions

Trumpelmann played a major role in the 2025 final, taking three wickets as Lumbini dismissed Sudurpaschim for 85. His new-ball spell could again be important against the Royals' top order.

Dipendra Singh Airee – Sudurpaschim Royals

Airee offers points in more than one discipline. If he gets a significant batting role and contributes with the ball, he becomes one of the highest-upside fantasy picks in the match.

Pitch Report

There is no confirmed match-specific pitch report available this far ahead of the game. The Kirtipur surface is also coming into NPL 2026 after renovation work on the playing square, so previous-season numbers should not be treated as a guaranteed guide for the opening match. The conditions closer to match day, along with the toss and final playing XIs, should provide a much clearer indication of whether the surface is likely to favor batting or bowling. For fantasy purposes, it is therefore better to avoid building the entire team around an assumption of either a very high or very low score.

50%

Pace Bowling

50%

Spin Bowling

50%

Batting Pitch

—

Average Score

50%

Bowling Pitch

Lumbini Lions vs Sudurpaschim Royals: Head-to-Head NPL Record

Matches played	3
Won by Lumbini Lions	1
Won by Sudurpaschim Royals	2
Tied / No Results	—
First-ever fixture	December 7, 2024 (Sudurpaschim Royals won)
Most recent fixture	December 13, 2025 (Lumbini Lions won)

Lumbini Lions vs Sudurpaschim Royals Prediction

This is a difficult match to call because Lumbini has the psychological advantage of winning last year's final, while Sudurpaschim had the better league-stage record.

The Royals' balance gives them a slight edge before the toss. Their combination of experienced Nepalese internationals, all-round options, and a strong pace attack makes them difficult to overlook.

Lumbini, however, has enough firepower to turn the match around quickly. Paudel's batting, Trumpelmann's new-ball bowling, and their experienced overseas players give the defending champions several ways to win.

Our prediction: Lumbini Lions 52% – Sudurpaschim Royals 48%.

Fantasy Tips

For fantasy teams, Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee are attractive picks because they can contribute in multiple areas.

Binod Bhandari is another strong option because of his batting role and wicketkeeping potential. Ruben Trumpelmann and Abinash Bohara are among the leading bowling choices based on their previous NPL performances.

Scott Kuggeleijn can be considered as a higher-upside all-round option, while Sher Malla is another player worth considering after his 17-wicket campaign in NPL 2025.

Safe Fantasy Picks

Rohit Paudel (Lumbini Lions)
Binod Bhandari (Sudurpaschim Royals)
Abinash Bohara (Sudurpaschim Royals)
Sher Malla (Lumbini Lions)

Higher-Risk, Higher-Reward Picks

Dipendra Singh Airee (Sudurpaschim Royals)
Scott Kuggeleijn (Sudurpaschim Royals)
D’Arcy Short (Lumbini Lions)
Aasif Sheikh (Lumbini Lions)

Dream11 Team for LUL vs SPR

Wicketkeepers

Binod Bhandari (Sudurpaschim Royals)
Niroshan Dickwella (Lumbini Lions)

Batters

D’Arcy Short (Lumbini Lions)
Aasif Sheikh (Lumbini Lions)

All-rounders

Rohit Paudel (Lumbini Lions)
Dipendra Singh Airee (Sudurpaschim Royals)
Scott Kuggeleijn (Sudurpaschim Royals)

Bowlers

Sher Malla (Lumbini Lions)
Abinash Bohara (Sudurpaschim Royals)

This is a pre-toss provisional team, not a confirmed final fantasy XI. Check the announced playing XIs before making any fantasy selection.

Captain and Vice-Captain Picks

Captain: Rohit Paudel

Paudel combines batting value with the possibility of contributing with the ball, making him one of the safest captaincy options before the playing XIs are announced

Vice-Captain: Binod Bhandari

Bhandari's batting record from the previous NPL season and wicketkeeping involvement give him multiple routes to fantasy points

Final Prediction

Lumbini Lions enter as defending champions, but Sudurpaschim Royals bring a strong recent league record and plenty of experience.

The Royals' balance gives them a narrow advantage in our pre-match assessment.

Predicted winner: Sudurpaschim Royals

Win probability:

Lumbini Lions – 52%
Sudurpaschim Royals – 48%

NPL T20 Team

Written by the NPL T20 Team — cricket writers and editors covering the Nepal Premier League 2026. We share match reports, player profiles, points table updates, venue guides, and fantasy tips, verified through official and local sources.