Kathmandu vs Lumbini Match 18 Preview: Leaders vs Gorkhas

Kathmandu meet Lumbini in NPL Match 18 on Saturday evening at Kirtipur, as the Gorkhas chase a second win and the unbeaten leaders defend top spot.

Saturday evening brings a single match at TU Ground, Kirtipur. Kathmandu Gorkhas face Lumbini Lions in NPL Season 3 Match 18 on Saturday, 7 November 2026, starting at 5:00 PM NST. After thirteen matches, Lumbini top the table with five points from three matches and a net run rate of plus 4.051, while Kathmandu sit seventh with two points from two matches and a net run rate of minus 0.466. Karan KC captains Kathmandu with Monty Desai as head coach, and Rohit Paudel captains Lumbini with Tinu Yohannan as head coach. Both sides play on Thursday first, with Lumbini facing Janakpur in Match 14 and Kathmandu facing Biratnagar in Match 15, so the picture on Saturday evening will have moved on from the after-thirteen-match standings below. Playing XIs are only confirmed at the toss.

• Match: Kathmandu Gorkhas vs Lumbini Lions, NPL Season 3 Match 18
• Date and time: Saturday, 7 November 2026, 5:00 PM NST
• Venue: TU Ground, Kirtipur
• Captains: Karan KC (Kathmandu) and Rohit Paudel (Lumbini)
• Head coaches: Monty Desai (Kathmandu) and Tinu Yohannan (Lumbini)
• Form after thirteen matches: Kathmandu two points from two matches; Lumbini five points from three matches
• Watch: NetTV worldwide, Himalaya TV in Nepal
• Note: both sides play on Thursday first (Match 14 and Match 15)

Gorkhas finding form

Kathmandu started with a defeat that showed their batting fragility. Kathmandu posted only 115 all out against Janakpur in Match 5 and lost by eight wickets, with Janakpur chasing 116 for two in 17.2 overs. Moeen Ali scored 58 not out off 51 balls for Janakpur in that game, and Kathmandu never recovered from a low total. Monday brought a response. Karnali posted 180 for six against Kathmandu in Match 10, and Kathmandu chased 181 for six in 19.4 overs to win by four wickets.

Karan led that chase with 44 off 20 balls and took two wickets for 35 runs, earning Player of the Match, and his all-round performance steadied a campaign that had started badly. Rashid Khan, the Nepali batter who shares a name with the Afghan spinner, scored 50 off 33 balls in that chase, and David Warner scored 16 off 10 balls on his first appearance of the season. Warner’s signing was confirmed before the season, and his first game gives Kathmandu batting depth that was missing in Match 5. Karan has captained Kathmandu in all three seasons and leads the franchise wicket tally with 25 NPL wickets, and his form with bat and ball makes him the key figure on Saturday evening.

After thirteen matches, Kathmandu sit seventh with two points, and a win over Lumbini would lift the Gorkhas toward the top four and keep their season moving in the right direction, while a defeat would leave them on two points with the playoff race tightening around them.

Leaders unbeaten

Lumbini have not lost a completed match all season. Lumbini bowled Sudurpaschim out for 87 in the season opener on 26 October and chased the target in 9.5 overs to win by seven wickets, with Sher Malla taking three wickets for 11 runs and earning Player of the Match. D’Arcy Short scored 40 off 18 balls in that chase and Aasif Sheikh added 32 off 25 balls, and the defending champions started their title defence in style. Lumbini were due to face Chitwan in Match 7 on Saturday, but that game was abandoned without a toss after rain, and each side took one point.

Tuesday brought a second win. Lumbini bowled Pokhara out for 97 for nine in Match 13 and chased 98 for two in 11.4 overs to win by eight wickets, with 50 balls still to spare. Paudel led the chase with 47 not out off 32 balls, Niroshan Dickwella stayed with him on 27 not out off 26 balls, and Ruben Trumpelmann took three wickets for 16 runs and earned Player of the Match. Paudel holds the league run record with 555 runs and was Player of the Tournament in Season 2, when Lumbini lifted the trophy, and his form with the bat makes him the wicket Kathmandu will want most on Saturday evening. After thirteen matches, Lumbini top the table with five points, and a win on Saturday would strengthen their hold on top spot.

Head to head: Kathmandu lead 2-1

Saturday brings the first meeting of Season 3 between these two sides, and history favours Kathmandu. Kathmandu won the first meeting in Season 1, beating Lumbini by 18 runs on 10 December 2024 after posting 103 and bowling Lumbini out for 85. Kathmandu won again in the Season 2 league stage, beating Lumbini by 22 runs on 25 November 2025 after posting 157 for eight and holding Lumbini to 135, with Karan scoring 34 not out off 11 balls. Lumbini struck back when it mattered most, winning the Season 2 Eliminator by four wickets on 10 December 2025 after bowling Kathmandu out for 111 and chasing 112 for six in 17.4 overs.

Kathmandu have won both league meetings between these sides, while Lumbini won the one knockout meeting, and Saturday evening adds a new chapter to a rivalry that has already produced a final-four upset. Paudel and Karan lead their sides as captains who also shape games with bat and ball, and the captain contest could decide a close game at Kirtipur.

Points table and fixtures

Updated standings appear on the NPL Season 3 points table, and every fixture and result appears on the NPL Season 3 matches page. NetTV streams the match worldwide, and Himalaya TV broadcasts it in Nepal. Tickets are sold through eSewa, with General tickets at NPR 500 and Premium at NPR 1,000. A Lumbini win would strengthen their hold on top spot, while a Kathmandu win would lift the Gorkhas toward the top four.