Roster review: 26 October 2026. NPL 2026 has eight franchises. The available player directories disagree on squad sizes and additions, so presenting one combined list as the complete official register would overstate the evidence.
Teams and reported players
The following is a selected, attributed player directory, not a predicted playing XI or a complete registration list.
| Franchise | Reported players |
|---|---|
| Biratnagar Kings | Sandeep Lamichhane, Lokesh Bam, Charith Asalanka, Shubham Ranjane |
| Chitwan Rhinos | Kushal Malla, Dev Khanal, Arjun Saud, Sikandar Raza, Ravi Bopara, Kaleem Sana |
| Janakpur Bolts | Harmeet Singh, Anil Kumar Sah, Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi, Iftikhar Ahmed |
| Karnali Yaks | Sompal Kami, Gulshan Jha, Pawan Sarraf, Mark Watt, Akbar Ali |
| Kathmandu Gorkhas | Karan KC, Bhim Sharki, David Warner, KS Bharat, Sahan Arachchige |
| Lumbini Lions | Rohit Paudel, Aasif Sheikh, Sundeep Jora, Niroshan Dickwella, Ruben Trumpelmann |
| Pokhara Avengers | Kushal Bhurtel, Arjun Kumal, Sagar Dhakal, Shakib Al Hasan |
| Sudurpaschim Royals | Dipendra Singh Airee, Binod Bhandari, Aarif Sheikh, Brandon McMullen |
These names appear in Cricfacts’ 18 October roster report. Its lists predate some opening-day coverage. Separately, The Kathmandu Post on 23 October reports Andre Russell for Biratnagar and Moeen Ali and Jimmy Neesham for Janakpur.
Why there is no “complete” label here
The CREX directory displays squad totals of 16–19 depending on the franchise. The earlier Cricfacts report describes 15–17 players per team. Even CREX’s opening-day article and its directory differ on some totals. An earlier article claiming squads are final cannot settle later replacements or additions.
To inspect the longer reported lists, use those dated directories and check the franchise’s latest announcement. Do not merge every name across sources without checking whether someone was replaced or withdrew.
Squad, eligibility and playing XI
The Kathmandu Post reports a maximum of four overseas players in an XI and at least one Associate-member player, with overseas players requiring board clearance. A signing announcement therefore does not guarantee immediate availability or selection.
For the eleven players actually taking the field, use the match’s toss-time team sheet or official scorecard. Check the schedule for the correct fixture; historical squad pages can remain searchable long after a season ends.
What a reliable players list should identify
A useful roster needs more than a collection of familiar names. It should identify the franchise, season and publication or update date. Ideally, it also indicates whether each entry is retained, newly signed, selected through an auction or added as a replacement. Those distinctions explain why two honest reports published at different times can contain different lists.
A team announcement about one arrival supports that signing. It does not automatically verify every other name on an unrelated directory. Likewise, a report listing retained players is not a complete squad unless it also accounts for subsequent recruitment. Read the scope of the announcement before using it to fill a season-wide register.
How to compare two conflicting lists
Start by checking their dates and whether both explicitly refer to 2026. Then compare the disputed names rather than only the totals. A directory showing eighteen players and another showing seventeen may disagree over one addition, but it could also have several differences whose totals happen to be close.
Look for a dated franchise notice resolving each difference: a signing, withdrawal, replacement or revised squad announcement. If no such evidence is available, keep the entry labelled as reported. Combining both lists produces a larger list, not necessarily a more accurate one. A player who was replaced should not remain counted simply because an earlier page still includes the name.
The same approach applies to spelling. A shortened scorecard name and a longer announcement name may refer to the same cricketer, but similarity alone is not enough to merge profiles. Check the player’s associated team and identity details before treating spelling variants as separate people or as a confirmed match.
Understand the roles without predicting selection
Batters, bowlers, wicketkeepers and all-rounders describe broad cricket roles. A squad can contain several players who cover the same role, giving the side options for different match situations. The presence of two wicketkeepers in a directory does not establish which one will keep wicket in a particular fixture.
An all-rounder label also does not promise an equal contribution with bat and ball in every game. A player may bat without bowling, or bowl fewer overs than expected. If you are preparing a match preview, separate the player’s general role from the actual task assigned in the confirmed lineup. Do not turn a directory label into a guaranteed match action.
Captain, marquee player and coach are separate labels
A franchise can announce a captain, highlight a marquee player and employ a head coach. Those titles describe different responsibilities. Do not assume the most internationally recognisable signing is the captain, or that a team’s marquee designation establishes its match-day leadership.
The selected directory above deliberately avoids assigning unverified leadership titles to every franchise. When writing about captaincy, use a current team announcement or the official match sheet. A stand-in captain for one game would not necessarily mean the season captain has been permanently replaced. The date and context of the source remain essential.
Overseas signing versus match availability
A signing report records an agreement or announcement; availability concerns whether that player can take part on a particular date. Required clearances, other commitments and replacement arrangements can affect the latter. The eligibility requirements reported in the linked season preview should not be read as proof that every named player has already completed them.
If you are checking whether a favourite overseas cricketer will appear in the game you plan to attend, look for a fixture-specific update. A season poster is insufficient evidence of attendance at every match. Ticketing and travel decisions should not depend on an assumption that a signing announcement guarantees a full season’s participation.
Use the directory for the right question
For “Which teams take part?”, the eight-franchise list is the relevant answer. For “Which players have been reported for this team?”, the attributed names and dated directories are useful starting points. For “Who is playing today?”, use the confirmed XI. These are related questions, but they require different evidence.
Fans can keep a personal roster note with columns for player, franchise, source date and status. Mark unresolved entries instead of silently treating them as final. When an official full registration list becomes available, that provides a clearer basis for replacing the partial directory. Until then, maintaining the evidence distinction is more useful than publishing an impressive-looking total that cannot be verified.