Second Edition of TNPL Kicks Off with High-Energy Auction Event

The Tasmanian Nepalese cricket community witnessed another historic milestone as the Tasmanian Nepalese Premier League (TNPL) – Season 2 Auction was successfully held on 10 February 2026 at the Moonah Arts Centre.

Following the excitement and overwhelming success of the inaugural season, the second edition of TNPL returned bigger, bolder, and even more competitive.

Four Teams Ready for Battle

This year, four exciting franchises took their seats at the auction table. Defending champions Grace Dynamos returned to defend their crown, while three new franchises — Best Strikers, Danphe Rangers, and Penny Royals — joined the competition, bringing fresh energy and new rivalries to the league.

Each franchise entered the auction with a total purse of $5,000.

Before the bidding began:

All teams secured their Marquee Player for $900
Returning champions Grace Dynamos retained one player for $850
To maintain competitive balance, the three new franchises were granted one Power Player for $850 from the registered player list

This structure ensured fairness while keeping the competition strong and evenly matched.

A Smooth and Global Broadcast Auction

The auction ran smoothly in a professionally organised setting and was broadcast worldwide through the Exotic Lane YouTube Channel and the TNPL Facebook Page, allowing supporters from Tasmania and beyond to witness every bid, surprise, and strategic move in real time.

The atmosphere inside Moonah Arts Centre was electric, with franchise representatives carefully calculating bids and building their dream squads.

Record Bids and Major Highlights

The headline moment of the day came when dynamic all-rounder Subash Bishwakarma attracted fierce bidding before being secured by Grace Dynamos for the highest price of the auction — $750.

Other standout bids included:

Rajan Magar – $500 (Best Strikers)
Sunit Suyal – $475 (Danphe Rangers)
Wasi Khan – $450 (Penny Royals)
Md Tausif Raja Khan – $425 (Danphe Rangers)

These signings have already sparked discussions among supporters about which franchise has built the strongest squad.

Squads Taking Shape

With the auction concluded, all four teams have now completed their 13-player squads. The remaining two spots per team will be filled through players from the Cricket Tasmania Premier League (CTPL) Pathways, further strengthening the link between community and Premier cricket in Tasmania.

Grace Dynamos

Khem Raj Poudel (Marquee Player)

Sandip Adhikari (Retained Player)

Vipin KC

Sharad Rajbhandari

Bijaya Shrestha

Ridaya Bhattarai

Umesh Pandit

Sanjog Tiwari

Subash Bishwakarma

Abhinav Pratik

Aarogya Bhattarai

Sujan Dhungel

Abhishek Lamsal

Danphe Rangers

Nabin Shahi (Marquee Player)

Ramesh Chhetri (Power Player)

Shyam Shah

Sunit Suyal

Roshan Pokhrel

Nabin Basnet

Anish Pathak

Nivesh Devkota

Pranit Poudel

Saphal Devkota

Ashish Ghimire

Bibek Ghimire

Md Tausif Raja Khan

Best Strikers

Dinesh KC (Marquee Player)

Suraj Thapa (Power Player)

Amit Mahato

Rupak Rawat

Binaya Shrestha

Subrat Bhattarai

Nishan Basnet

Bivek Yadav

Navaraj Karki

Sunder Kandel

Rajan Magar

Lal Kaji Gurung

Rajesh Khatri

Penny Royals

Moien Shrestha (Marquee Player)

Reewaj Poudel (Power Player)

Laxman Panthi

Wasi Khan

Santosh Poudel

Prabin Magar

Sudip Pandey

Sabin Sthapit

Dibas Panta

Rajan Sharma

Aashish Chand

Rikesh Shakya

Aayush Dahal

Distinguished Guests in Attendance

The auction was attended by several distinguished guests from Cricket Tasmania and the wider community, including:

Dr Muhammad Qureshi – TNCA Advisor (Match Official Recruitment and Education Support, Cricket Tasmania; ICC Umpire Master Educator)
Kain Moore – Community Cricket Manager, Cricket Tasmania
Jyales Horne – Cricket Development Officer, Cricket Tasmania
Matt Smith – Communities Partner, Tassal

The auction proceedings were conducted by TNCA President Kamal Bhandari, alongside Niranjan Bhandari and Poonam Bhattarai, who once again delivered a professional and engaging event.

Gratitude to Sponsors and Supporters

TNPL Season 2 would not be possible without the continued support of its sponsors and partners. Special thanks to:

Tassal – Official Sponsor of TNPL Season 2
Glenorchy City Council – Supporting Partner

Their commitment continues to strengthen the growth of Nepalese cricket in Tasmania.

With squads nearly finalised and anticipation building, TNPL Season 2 promises thrilling cricket, emerging talent, and unforgettable moments.

TASMANIAN NEPALESE CRICKET ASSOCIATION