Lumbini Lions prepare to defend Nepal Premier League title

Lumbini Lions experienced contrasting fortunes across the first two editions of the Nepal Premier League. The team finished at the bottom of the table in the inaugural tournament before staging a significant turnaround to claim the championship trophy in the second season. As preparations begin for the third edition of the competition, the club has chosen to maintain continuity by retaining seven domestic players from the title-winning lineup. The retained group features captain Rohit Paudel, alongside Sher Malla, Sandeep Jora, Tilak Bhandari, Abhishek Gautam, Dinesh Adhikari, and Dilip Nath. Alongside the player retentions, the coaching staff remains anchored by the head coach from the previous campaign. The management continues to look at potential overseas recruitment to further bolster the squad ahead of the upcoming matches. With a largely familiar roster and strengthened opening combinations, the management enters the third tournament hoping to establish a sustained period of competitive success rather than treating the previous year's victory as a single isolated achievement.