Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Two matches are scheduled in the Nepal Premier League (NPL) on Thursday, with Biratnagar Kings taking on Pokhara Avengers in the afternoon before Karnali Yaks face defending champions Lumbini Lions in the evening at the TU International Cricket Stadium in Kirtipur.
Biratnagar will meet Pokhara at 12:30 p.m., while Karnali and Lumbini will play the second match at 5 p.m. With the league stage entering its final stretch, the fixtures carry significant playoff implications for all four teams.
Biratnagar Kings vs Pokhara Avengers
Biratnagar Kings and Pokhara Avengers enter Thursday’s encounter, with both needing victories to strengthen their playoff prospects.
Biratnagar have four points from five matches, with two wins and three losses. They began their campaign with defeats against Chitwan Rhinos and Karnali Yaks before registering back-to-back victories over Sudurpaschim Royals and Janakpur Bolts. They, however, suffered a nine-wicket defeat to Kathmandu Gorkhas in the fifth match.
Pokhara, on the other hand, have had a difficult campaign. They suffered four consecutive losses before recording a resounding 63-run victory over Karnali Yaks in their fifth match.
Despite the win, Pokhara have only two points from five matches and remain at the bottom of the standings.
The two sides have met twice in the NPL, with both teams registering one victory each. Pokhara defeated Biratnagar in the Super Over in 2024, while they suffered a 53-run defeat against the Kings in 2025.
A loss on Thursday will end Pokhara’s playoff hopes. A victory, however, would take Pokhara to four points and keep their slim playoff hopes alive ahead of their final league match against Kathmandu Gorkhas.
Similarly, a win would keep Biratnagar firmly in contention for a top-four finish. They will have six points, with one match against Lumbini Lions remaining.
Karnali Yaks vs Lumbini Lions
The second fixture features two neighboring sides – Karnali and Lumbini. Karnali are struggling after three consecutive defeats, while Lumbini will look to bounce back from their recent loss to Kathmandu.
Karnali started their campaign with victories over Janakpur Bolts and Biratnagar Kings. However, they have since lost to Kathmandu Gorkhas, Sudurpaschim Royals and Pokhara Avengers.
Their latest defeat came against Pokhara, when they failed to chase down a target of 218.
With four points from five matches, Karnali are currently seventh in the standings. They will need to rediscover the form that helped them win their opening two matches if they are to remain in the playoff race.
Lumbini, on the other hand, have enjoyed a relatively strong campaign. The defending champions have seven points from five matches, with three wins, one defeat and one no-result.
They began their title defence with a victory over Sudurpaschim Royals and subsequently defeated Pokhara Avengers and Janakpur Bolts. Their match against Chitwan Rhins ended without a result, while their winning run was halted by Kathmandu Gorkhas, who defeated them by 36 runs on November 7.
Karnali have dominated their previous encounters against Lumbini, winning both meetings in the first two editions of the NPL. In 2024, Karnali edged out Lumbini by five runs in a closely contested match, while they handed Lumbini a nine-wicket defeat in 2025.
Lumbini are third in the standings with seven points and have two league matches remaining. A victory on Thursday will book their spot in the playoffs. Karnali, meanwhile, are under pressure following their three successive defeats. A defeat against Lumbini will jeopardize their playoff prospects.
