NPL 2026 · Match 1 · Mon 26 Oct, 4:30 pm NPT

Lumbini Lions vs Sudurpaschim Royals match prediction and playing 11

Lumbini Lions play Sudurpaschim Royals in match 1 of the NPL on Mon 26 Oct at 4:30 pm NPT, TU Ground, Kirtipur. Lumbini Lions and Sudurpaschim Royals have met 3 times in the NPL: 1–2. Our fantasy pick for captain is D'Arcy Short, with Sher Malla as vice-captain.

Suggested fantasy XI

Highest expected points from both probable XIs: 11 players, at most 7 from one side, 1–4 wicketkeepers, 3–6 batters, 1–4 all-rounders and 3–6 bowlers

Wicketkeepers · 2

Batters · 3

All-rounders · 1

Bowlers · 5

  • Option 2: Aasif Sheikh in for Tilak Bhandari (297 expected points, against 297)
  • Option 3: Ishan Pandey in for Tilak Bhandari (297 expected points, against 297)

Build your own: pick players and get the three best teams →

Suggestions are statistical estimates from past matches, not guarantees. CricketViz is not affiliated with the Nepal Premier League or any fantasy sports app.

Captain and vice-captain picks

Who to make captain and vice-captain, and why

CaptainD'Arcy Short LLExpected 32 points, so about 65 as captain (2×)Top scorer of this XI in 20% of 4,000 simulated matchesTop scorer of the match in 9 of 57 T20s (0 of 10 in the NPL)
Vice-captainSher Malla LLExpected 28 points, so about 42 as vice-captain (1.5×)In the XI's top two in 22% of 4,000 simulated matchesSecond-top scorer of the match in 2 of 22 T20s (2 of 18 in the NPL)
  • The captain earns double and the vice-captain one and a half times their points, so these two picks swing a fantasy team more than any other. Put your two highest expected scorers there.
  • When expected points are close, prefer the player who tops the scoring more often (the simulated share and the record below), or pick the other one as a differential that fewer teams will have.
  • All-rounders and top-order batters are steadier picks: they can score with the bat, the ball and in the field.
Captaincy options from the suggested XI
PlayerExp. ptsTop scorerTop twoBest CBest VC
D'Arcy Short LLC25 recent T20s3220%30%16%9/574%2/57
Sher Malla LLVC22 recent T20s2810%22%14%3/229%2/22
Dipendra Singh Airee SR25 recent T20s2514%29%15%10/681%1/68
Binod Bhandari SR25 recent T20s236%13%9%2/220%0/22
Ruben Trumpelmann LL25 recent T20s2313%23%14%4/297%2/29
Scott Kuggeleijn SR25 recent T20s2312%22%7%2/2811%3/28
  • Exp. pts: from the player's recent T20s (up to 25, shown under the name), newest counting most.
  • Top scorer / top two: how often the player scores the most (or is in the top two) in this XI, over 4,000 simulated matches.
  • Best C / VC: how often the player was the match's top (or second-top) fantasy scorer, across both teams, in their T20s of the last three years; not how many people picked them. How we calculate this

Lumbini Lions predicted playing 11

PlayerExp. ptsLast 5 games
Rohit PaudelcaptainBAT · 25+ T20s2222418056
D'Arcy ShortoverseasBAT · 25+ T20s322850242164
Sher MallaBOWL · 22 T20s286444101244
Ruben TrumpelmannoverseasBOWL · 25+ T20s2330259610
Niroshan DickwellaoverseasWK · 25+ T20s193014141628
Sundeep JoraBAT · 25+ T20s154621226
Tilak BhandariBOWL · 9 T20s181246669
Aasif SheikhWK · 25+ T20s171607569
Abhishesh GautamBOWL · 14 T20s1342512214
Dilip NathBAT · 20 T20s1133111117
Kishore MahatoBOWL · 14 T20s14-4571240
Rest of the squad (5)
Dinesh AdhikariBAT · 6 T20s1339-3528
Durgesh GuptaBOWL · 5 T20s1229-4-444
Aakash TripathiBAT · 11 T20s9-307520
Ajay ChauhanRole unknown · no T20 record in our data12—
Arniko YadavRole unknown · no T20 record in our data12—

Sudurpaschim Royals predicted playing 11

PlayerExp. ptsLast 5 games
Dipendra Singh AireecaptainAR · 25+ T20s252724468
Binod BhandariWK · 25+ T20s23044152430
Scott KuggeleijnoverseasBOWL · 25+ T20s23103664418
Abinash BoharaBOWL · 25+ T20s202322181258
Ishan PandeyBAT · 22 T20s171515241343
Saif ZaiboverseasBAT · 25+ T20s1821-2122815
Hemant DhamiBOWL · 11 T20s1632-429122
Aarif SheikhBAT · 25+ T20s11222-317
Brandon McMullenoverseasBAT · 25+ T20s1720141518-2
Dipak BoharaBAT · 9 T20s11042295
Anil KharelBOWL · 5 T20s17246-4494
Rest of the squad (5)
Hikmat MaharaBAT · 2 T20s13-415
Milan BoharaBAT · 2 T20s1252
Sachin BhattaRole unknown · no T20 record in our data12—
Ayub ChandRole unknown · no T20 record in our data12—
Tek RawatRole unknown · no T20 record in our data12—

Predicted playing 11s are our estimate from each squad: once a side has played this season, its last XI, otherwise the captain first, then recent fantasy points, experience and last season's selections (with at most four overseas players). They change when the teams are announced at the toss.

How the points are counted

Playing in the XI+2
Each run+0.5
Each four / six (bonus on top of the runs)+0.5 / +1
50 / 100 runs (highest milestone only)+4 / +8
Out for a duck−2
Strike rate (5+ balls): under 70 / 130 and over−2 to −6 / +2 to +6
Each wicket (not run outs); bowled or lbw bonus+10; +2
3 / 4 / 5 wickets (bonuses add up)+6 / +8 / +10
Maiden over+4
Economy (1+ over): under 6 / 10 and over+2 to +6 / −2 to −6
Catch; 3+ catches bonus+4; +4 to +8
Stumping / direct-hit run out+6
Other run outs (thrower and catcher not recorded)+3 each
Captain / vice-captain2× / 1.5×

Our summary of a common T20 fantasy scoring system; apps differ, so check the values in the one you use. How we calculate expected points and picks →

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