Mini Auction Drama as Lucky Draws Decide Top Picks for NPL Season 2

The Nepal Premier League’s (NPL) mini auction for its second season saw fierce bidding on Saturday, August 9, as teams clashed over top national players, with several high-value signings settled by lucky draws.

The most intense battle came for all-rounder Dev Khanal, a Category A player with a base price of Rs 1 million. The bid hit the Rs 1.5 million ceiling in under a minute, before Chitwan Rhinos won through a lucky draw against Lumbini Lions.

Four franchises—Lumbini Lions, Pokhara Avengers, Sudurpaschim Royals, and Janakpur Bolts—fought for Category B player Hemant Dhami (base price Rs 500,000), all hitting the Rs 1 million cap. The Royals emerged victorious in the lucky draw.

Similar drama followed for Arjun Saud (Category A) and Pawan Sarraf (Category A). Saud went to the Rhinos after a lucky draw against Karnali Yaks and Biratnagar Kings, while Sarraf’s four-team contest was won by the Yaks.

A total of 164 player—nine in Category A, each priced at Rs 1–1.5 million, 37 in Category B (Rs 500,000–1 million), and 118 in Category C (Rs 200,000–500,000)—14 more than originally announced by the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), went under the hammer for 37 slots.

By the 60th player in the auction, 11 had been sold. Surya Tamang (Category A, Rs 1 million) was picked by Biratnagar Kings, while Dilip Nath (Category A, Rs 1 million) went to Lumbini Lions. Tek Bahadur Rawat (Category C, Rs 200,000) was signed by Sudurpaschim Royals, and Shahil Patel (Category B, Rs 500,000) joined Biratnagar Kings. Uttam Rangy Thapa Magar (Category C, Rs 300,000) was taken by Kathmandu Gorkhas, Sachin Bhatta (Category C, Rs 200,000) by Janakpur Bolts, and Abhisekh Tiwari (Category C, Rs 200,000) by Pokhara Avengers.

Last season, each team formed a 16-member squad comprising one marquee player, three Category A, four Category B, three Category C, one local “Talent Hunt” pick, and up to four foreign players (signed separately).

But it was announced just before the auction began that the category-related restriction had been removed.

"The difference between last season and this season is we do not have restriction on category," said Durga Nath Subedi, the auctioneer. "You can pick any category without restriction in this auction." 

Teams could retain up to seven players from the inaugural season. Five franchises—Biratnagar Kings, Sudurpaschim Royals, Lumbini Lions, Chitwan Rhinos, and Kathmandu Gorkhas—retained six each, while Pokhara Avengers, Karnali Yaks, and defending champions Janakpur Bolts retained seven apiece. 

The retained list includes eight marquees, 20 Category A players, nine Category B players and 14 Category C players. Bipin Sharma, picked through a Talent Hunt by Karnali Yaks last season, has been retained as a Category C player.

This news has been updated to correct that the category-related restriction has been removed this season.