Sudurpaschim Royals have once again set the standard in the Nepal Premier League group stage, finishing top for a second straight season with 12 points from seven matches.
The headline is familiar, but the path has looked different this time: Royals still won six games, yet their overall dominance has not been as overwhelming as the inaugural season, with their net run rate dropping from a massive +2.087 in 2024/25 to +0.832 in 2025. The table still reads "Royals first," but the rest of the league has clearly tightened up around them.
This season's standings show a decisive top four and a reshaped pecking order. Biratnagar Kings and Kathmandu Gorkhas locked in second and third on 10 points each, separated primarily by net run rate, while Lumbini Lions grabbed the final playoffs berth with 8 points. In contrast, the first season's top four were Royals (12), Janakpur Bolts (10), Chitwan Rhinos (8) and Karnali Yaks (8), with Kathmandu narrowly missing out despite matching the 8-point mark and losing the net run rate battle. In both seasons, the cut for fourth place came with a negative net run rate, underlining how the league phase rewards timely wins even if a team absorbs a couple of heavy results.
Royals' repeat first-place finish is the biggest constant across the two seasons, but their numbers tell a story of reduced separation. Last year, the Royals' net run rate suggested repeated big-margin victories and consistent control over matches. This year, they have still won at the same rate, but with tighter margins and stronger pushback from the chasing pack. That shift matters going into the playoffs, because it signals a competition that is no longer defined by one runaway team and a scramble beneath them.
The standout change, however, is the rise of Biratnagar Kings. After ending the first season in sixth place with just 4 points, Biratnagar have surged to second with 10 points, one of the most dramatic turnarounds in the league. Their improvement is not marginal; it is structural. A team that struggled to build winning sequences last season has now assembled a campaign strong enough to sit level on points with Kathmandu and enter the playoffs as a legitimate threat rather than a hopeful qualifier.
Kathmandu Gorkhas have also converted last season’s frustration into this season’s reward. In the first edition, they were the unlucky side—finishing on 8 points but missing the top four due to net run rate. This season, they have removed the uncertainty by pushing to 10 points and taking third place, turning what used to be a fine-margin argument into an undeniable qualification. Their group-stage performance reflects a more consistent ability to win the matches they could not quite close out last year.
Lumbini Lions have produced one of the most compelling redemption arcs. Bottom last season with only 2 points, Lumbini have jumped into fourth this year with 8 points to secure a playoff berth. Their net run rate is still negative, which suggests some defeats were costly, but the points column is what matters at the end of a short league phase. They have done the essential job: they have won enough games to stay above the chasing pack and earn the right to compete in the knockout phase.
On the other end of the spectrum sits the season’s biggest drop: Janakpur Bolts. The defending champions have collapsed to last this season with just 2 points. A fall of six positions and eight points is not just bad luck; it speaks to a campaign where results never aligned, key moments slipped away, and consistency disappeared. For a team that looked built for playoff cricket in the first edition, this season's group stage has been a complete reversal.
Former playoff teams Chitwan Rhinos and Karnali Yaks have also been pushed out, showing just how much the middle of the league has shifted. Chitwan have gone from third place and 8 points to seventh with 4 points, while Karnali have dropped from fourth and 8 points to sixth with 4 points. In the inaugural season, eight points was enough to qualify; this year, eight points has become the minimum just to sneak into fourth, and the teams that hovered around the playoffs line last season have been punished for any early stumbles.
Even Pokhara Avengers’ season underlines the new competitiveness. Pokhara finished seventh last season with 4 points, but improved to fifth this season with 6 points—yet still fell short of the top four.
In the end, the comparison between the two seasons is straightforward: the Royals have stayed constant at the top, but the identity of their challengers has changed completely. The first season featured Janakpur, Chitwan and Karnali in the playoff bracket; this season belongs to Biratnagar, Kathmandu and Lumbini. With four teams qualified for the playoffs again, the stage is now set for a knockout run shaped by momentum and adaptation—Royals chasing the same standard as last year, Biratnagar and Kathmandu arriving as upgraded contenders, and Lumbini entering as the league phase's biggest comeback story.
