The NPL juggernaut, unleashed

For the league’s future, Paras Khadka’s legacy must persist and be embraced by future CAN officials.

The inaugural season of the Nepal Premier League (NPL), the brainchild of the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), surpassed the expectations of the organisers, the players, the fans, the officials and the global cricket fraternity. It also telegraphed important messages—to the cricketing world that as an up-and-comer, Nepal better be taken seriously; to the fans who have stuck with the team through thick and thin that better days are ahead; and to the powers that be that professionals, if left alone, can achieve top-notch results. Amid all the fanfare, this is also a time to remain vigilant about possible political interference, as myopic politicians devise ways to milk the cash cow that Nepali cricket can be.