Karnali Yaks Squad and Schedule NPL 2026: Full List
Published on October 23, 2026
Summary Overview: Karnali Yaks' squad for the Nepal Premier League 2026, captained by Sompal Kami, with new signings David Miller and Sahibzada Farhan joining Hussain Talat and Mark Watt. All seven league fixtures in Nepal Time, UTC, IST and ET.
Who are Karnali Yaks? One of the eight franchises in the Nepal Premier League (NPL), Nepal's franchise T20 competition.
Who is the captain? Seam-bowling all-rounder Sompal Kami, retained as the team's marquee player.
Who are the overseas players? South Africa's David Miller, Pakistan T20I captain Sahibzada Farhan, Pakistan all-rounder Hussain Talat, Scotland left-arm spinner Mark Watt, and Bangladesh's Akbar Ali and Ariful Islam. Miller and Farhan were announced this week, and the two Bangladeshis arrived in Nepal on October 23.
Has David Miller joined? Yes. The Yaks announced the South African on October 23, 2026.
When is their first match? Tuesday, October 27 against Janakpur Bolts at 5:00 PM Nepal Time (11:15 UTC, 4:45 PM IST, 7:15 AM ET).
The Story: Building on a Strong Retained Core
The Nepal Premier League returns for its third season from October 26 to November 21, with every game at the TU International Cricket Stadium in Kirtipur. Lumbini Lions are the defending champions, and Janakpur Bolts won the first title in 2024.
For readers new to cricket: in a T20 match, each team bats for up to 20 overs (an over is six legal deliveries), so a game lasts about three and a half hours. In the NPL, the eight teams play each other once, and the top four reach the playoffs.
Karnali Yaks finished seventh in 2025, with four points from seven games. They ended the season on a high, beating defending champions Janakpur Bolts by three runs in their final game. This year they have kept most of that group together, with eight players retained, and then added big overseas names in the final week before the season.
The Talking Points
Sompal Kami Leads the Yaks
Sompal Kami was retained as Karnali's marquee player and named captain. He is one of Nepal's most experienced cricketers, opening the bowling with seam and hitting hard in the lower order.
Late Signings: Miller and Farhan
On October 23, three days before the season starts, the Yaks announced David Miller. The 37-year-old South African left-hander is one of the best finishers in T20 cricket, with more than 12,000 runs in T20 matches, and he won the IPL with Gujarat Titans in 2022. Pakistan's T20I captain Sahibzada Farhan, an attacking opener, has also joined.
The Rest of the Overseas Group
Hussain Talat is a Pakistan all-rounder who bats in the top and middle order and bowls medium pace. Mark Watt, retained from last season, is Scotland's long-serving left-arm spinner. Bangladesh's Akbar Ali, a wicketkeeper-batter who captained Bangladesh to the 2020 Under-19 World Cup title, and batter Ariful Islam both landed in Nepal on October 23.
Shubh Kansakar, the Top Buy
All-rounder Shubh Kansakar was the Yaks' most expensive buy at the auction, at Rs. 10 lakh. Bipin Sharma and seamer Dipendra Rawat cost Rs. 5 lakh each.
A Deep Nepali Core
The Yaks kept wicketkeeper Deepak Dumre, all-rounders Gulshan Jha, Pawan Sarraf and Unish Bikram Singh, and bowlers Nandan Yadav and Yuvraj Khatri. Gulshan Jha is a Nepal international who bats in the middle order and bowls seam.
The Full Karnali Yaks Squad
| Role | Players |
| Captain | Sompal Kami |
| Batters | David Miller, Sahibzada Farhan, Akbar Ali (wk), Ariful Islam, Deepak Dumre (wk), Sachin Sharma |
| All-rounders | Sompal Kami (c), Hussain Talat, Gulshan Jha, Pawan Sarraf, Unish Bikram Singh, Shubh Kansakar, Bipin Sharma |
| Bowlers | Mark Watt, Nandan Yadav, Yuvraj Khatri, Dipendra Rawat, Surya Tamang |
| Also named (role to be confirmed) | Diwan Pun, Shivam Tiwari |
20 players named so far. Six overseas: David Miller (South Africa), Sahibzada Farhan (Pakistan), Hussain Talat (Pakistan), Mark Watt (Scotland), Akbar Ali (Bangladesh), Ariful Islam (Bangladesh).
How They Were Signed
| Player | How signed | Price |
| Sompal Kami | Retained (marquee) | |
| Deepak Dumre | Retained | |
| Mark Watt | Retained | |
| Gulshan Jha | Retained | |
| Pawan Sarraf | Retained | |
| Unish Bikram Singh | Retained | |
| Nandan Yadav | Retained | |
| Yuvraj Khatri | Retained | |
| David Miller | Overseas signing (Oct 23) | |
| Sahibzada Farhan | Overseas signing | |
| Hussain Talat | Overseas signing (Oct 22) | |
| Akbar Ali | Overseas signing (announced Sept 18) | |
| Ariful Islam | Overseas signing | |
| Shubh Kansakar | Auction | Rs. 10 lakh |
| Bipin Sharma | Auction | Rs. 5 lakh |
| Dipendra Rawat | Auction | Rs. 5 lakh |
| Sachin Sharma | Auction | Rs. 2 lakh |
| Surya Tamang | Auction | Rs. 2 lakh |
| Diwan Pun | Not listed | |
| Shivam Tiwari | Not listed |
Prices are in Nepali rupees, as listed by the Nepal Premier League.
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Players to Watch
Sompal Kami (c): The Yaks' captain and marquee player, a new-ball bowler who can hit hard.
David Miller: A world-class finisher and IPL winner, the biggest name in the Yaks' squad.
Sahibzada Farhan: Pakistan's T20I captain and an attacking opening batter.
Hussain Talat: A Pakistan all-rounder who bats in the top order and bowls medium pace.
Mark Watt: Scotland's left-arm spinner, retained after playing for the Yaks last season.
Akbar Ali (wk): Bangladesh's 2020 Under-19 World Cup-winning captain.
Gulshan Jha: A Nepal international all-rounder who bats in the middle order and bowls seam.
Shubh Kansakar: The Yaks' most expensive auction buy at Rs. 10 lakh.
Karnali Yaks Fixtures (Nepal Time, UTC, IST and ET)
All matches are at the TU International Cricket Stadium, Kirtipur.
| # | Date | Opponent | Nepal (NPT) | UTC | IST | ET |
| 3 | Tue, Oct 27 | vs Janakpur Bolts | 5:00 PM | 11:15 | 4:45 PM | 7:15 AM |
| 6 | Thu, Oct 29 | vs Biratnagar Kings | 5:00 PM | 11:15 | 4:45 PM | 7:15 AM |
| 10 | Mon, Nov 2 | vs Kathmandu Gurkhas | 12:30 PM | 06:45 | 12:15 PM | 1:45 AM |
| 16 | Fri, Nov 6 | vs Sudurpaschim Royals | 12:30 PM | 06:45 | 12:15 PM | 1:45 AM |
| 19 | Mon, Nov 9 | vs Pokhara Avengers | 12:30 PM | 06:45 | 12:15 PM | 1:45 AM |
| 23 | Thu, Nov 12 | vs Lumbini Lions | 5:00 PM | 11:15 | 4:45 PM | 6:15 AM |
| 27 | Sun, Nov 15 | vs Chitwan Rhinos | 12:30 PM | 06:45 | 12:15 PM | 1:45 AM |
NPT is Nepal Time (UTC+5:45). IST is India Standard Time (UTC+5:30). ET is US Eastern Time: Daylight Time (UTC-4) until November 1, then Standard Time (UTC-5). In Pakistan, 12:30 PM games start at 11:45 AM and 5:00 PM games at 4:15 PM. Every match starts on the same calendar date in all zones.
The fixture pattern: the Yaks play four of their seven games in the early 12:30 PM slot, including three in a row from November 2 to 9. They meet defending champions Lumbini Lions on November 12, and play on the last day of the league stage (November 15) against Chitwan Rhinos.
Playoffs (If They Qualify)
| Stage | Date | Fixture | Nepal (NPT) | UTC | IST | ET |
| Qualifier 1 | Tue, Nov 17 | 1st vs 2nd | 5:00 PM | 11:15 | 4:45 PM | 6:15 AM |
| Eliminator | Wed, Nov 18 | 3rd vs 4th | 5:00 PM | 11:15 | 4:45 PM | 6:15 AM |
| Qualifier 2 | Thu, Nov 19 | Loser Q1 vs Winner Eliminator | 5:00 PM | 11:15 | 4:45 PM | 6:15 AM |
| Final | Sat, Nov 21 | Winner Q1 vs Winner Q2 | 5:00 PM | 11:15 | 4:45 PM | 6:15 AM |
Stat Corner
| Stat | Figure |
| Squad size | 20 named so far |
| Retained players | 8 |
| Overseas players | 6 |
| All-rounders | 7 |
| Most expensive auction buy | Shubh Kansakar, Rs. 10 lakh |
| League matches | 7 |
| 2025 finish | 7th (4 points from 7 games) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is in the Karnali Yaks squad for NPL 2026?
- Sompal Kami (c), David Miller, Sahibzada Farhan, Hussain Talat, Mark Watt, Akbar Ali and more. The full list is above.
Who is the Karnali Yaks captain?
- Sompal Kami.
Who are Karnali Yaks' overseas players?
- David Miller (South Africa), Sahibzada Farhan (Pakistan), Hussain Talat (Pakistan), Mark Watt (Scotland), Akbar Ali (Bangladesh) and Ariful Islam (Bangladesh).
Where did Karnali Yaks finish in 2025?
- Seventh, with four points from seven games.
When do Karnali Yaks play their first match?
- Tuesday, October 27, 2026, against Janakpur Bolts at 5:00 PM Nepal Time (4:45 PM IST).
Related Guides and Series Coverage
📋 Nepal Premier League 2026 Schedule: Full NPL Season 3 Fixtures, Teams and Match Times
📋 Janakpur Bolts Squad and Schedule for NPL 2026