Kathmandu Gorkhas started their Nepal Premier League 2025 campaign with a thrilling victory over defending champions Janakpur Bolts at the TU International Cricket Ground, in the first-ever floodlit T20 match in Nepal.

Chasing a target of 132, the Gorkhas reached it with two overs to spare. Openers Aakash Tripathi (39 off 45 balls) and Ben Charlesworth (46 off 23 balls) laid a strong foundation with a 70-run partnership for the first wicket. Middle-order contributions came from Milind Kumar (19) and John Simpson (13), before Mohammad Aadil Alam sealed the win with a six on the penultimate ball of the 18th over.

For Janakpur, only Aasif Sheikh (54) scored a half-century, while Mayan Yadav (24 not out) and Lahiru Samarakoon (22) supported with lower-order runs. Bowling for Janakpur, Kishore Mahato, Anil Shah, Lalit Rajbanshi, Nicol Loftie-Eaton, and Sanjay Krishnamurthi took one wicket each.

Milind Kumar was the standout with the ball for Kathmandu, taking 3 wickets for just 15 runs, while Karan KC, Shahab Alam, and Santosh Yadav claimed one wicket apiece.

The NPL 2025 features eight teams competing in 32 matches, with the final scheduled on December 13. Other teams include Biratnagar Kings, Chitwan Rhinos, Karnali Yaks, Lumbini Lions, Pokhara Avengers, and Sudur Paschim Royals.