NPL 2025: South African legendary batsman Faf du Plessis opens up another intriguing chapter to his illustrious T20 cricket career. After featuring in high-profile T20 leagues such as the Indian Premier League (IPL), Pakistan Super League (PSL), SA20, and several others, the 41-year-old has now grabbed the attention of Nepal fans.
The former South African captain has signed a deal with the Biratnagar Kings for the forthcoming Nepal Premier League (NPL) 2025.
While Faf’s entry into the league stunned the entire cricket world, there is an additional curiosity added for fans about whether he could play all matches of this season in NPL 2025.
Biratnagar Kings Facebook Post Raises Curiosity Among Fans
On Friday (October 31) at 09.22 am, Biratnagar Kings sparked excitement among Nepali cricket fans by posting a cryptic image on Facebook, depicting an empty throne surrounded by IPL and CPL trophies.
This post visually hinted at the signing of a high-profile cricketer for the franchise ahead of the second season of the Nepal Premier League (NPL), promising that a mystery would be revealed later on the same day.
At 12.09 pm on the same day, the franchise unveiled another Facebook post teasing fans that they were so far away from their guesses, expressing that the player was a surprising pick from an unexpected pool of candidates.
A countless number of fans commented on the posts by guessing different names of overseas key players.
And when the announcement was made after 05 pm, several Nepali cricket fans were excited as their guesses turned out to be accurate. Francois du Plessis (full name of Faf) has now officially become a valuable player for Biratnagar Kings.
Revealing Faf’s arrival into the league, the franchise took to its Facebook page to make an official announcement:
“Congrats! This is indeed the biggest moment for Nepalese cricket and NPL. Having a player like Faf du Plessis will inspire youngsters to match his caliber and enhance the reputation of the league across the globe,” Biratnagar Kings officially stated on Facebook.
Faf’s Entry Elevates NPL’s Reputation
Biratnagar Kings signing a deal with a reputed cricketer like Faf du Plessis elevates the standards of NPL and ignites the hopes of growing in the franchise T20 league world.
The NPL 2025 auction on August 09 witnessed star players who are set to feature in the league. So, it is a valuable chance for the young generation of local cricketers (in Nepal) to gain experience from Faf.
Seeing the success in the approaching season, Nepal cricket’s future promises to reach greater heights, where more key international players might join the upcoming editions as well.
Also, fans across the globe will watch the games for their favorite players. Especially, having a legendary T20 star like Faf certainly bolsters the viewership rate, interest among fans, as well as amplifies the broadcasting revenue.
What Makes NPL Season 2 More Special?
The second edition of the Nepal Premier League (NPL), scheduled between November 17 to December 13, 2025, will feature several star cricketers across the globe.
Apart from Faf du Plessis playing for Biratnagar Kings, another reputed T20 star, Rashid Khan from Afghanistan, joins the league representing Kathmandu Gorkhas.
Here are the notable signings of foreign stars by every franchise that have made the NPL 2025 much more special compared to the previous year’s inaugural season:
| Team | Player Signed for NPL 2025 | Nation | Speciality |
| Janakpur Bolts (Defending Champions) | Wayne Parnell | South Africa | Left-Arm Pacer |
| Sudurpaschim Royals (Runner-Up) | Chris Lynn | Australia | Right-Handed Batter (Power Hitting Batter) |
| Lumbini Lions | D’Arcy Short | Australia | Spin Bowling All-Rounder |
| Thomas Jack Draca | Italy | Pace Bowler | |
| Chitwan Rhinos | Sohail Tanvir | Pakistan | Pace Bowler |
| Ravi Bopara | England | All-Rounder | |
| Dawid Malan | England | Left-Handed Batter | |
| Pokhara Avengers | Adam Rossington | England | Wicketkeeper and Batter |
| Karnali Yaks | Max O’Dowd | Netherlands | Right-Handed Opening Batter |
| Mark Watt | Scotland | Spin Bowler | |
| Kathmandu Gorkhas | Ricardo Vasconcelos | South Africa | Wicketkeeper and Batter |
| Milind Kumar | USA | Spin Bowling All-Rounder |
Especially, Faf’s presence bolsters the Biratnagar’s batting line-up and makes them a fierce contender to claim the maiden championship title in the forthcoming season.
The right-handed batter compiled 202 runs in 9 matches for Delhi Capitals in this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2025. Likewise, the Kings will expect du Plessis to make noteworthy contributions with the bat donning the team’s jersey this season.
Also Read: IPL 2026 Auction to be Held Overseas: Dubai Leads, Muscat and Doha Contenders
Will Faf du Plessis Play All Matches of NPL 2025? Final Thoughts
As per the statement given by the Biratnagar Kings franchise, Faf du Plessis’ participation in all matches of NPL 2025 will depend on the official schedule released.
Here is what Dipendra Chaudhary, the team’s director, had to say about the veteran involvement for the entire season:
“Possibly! It all depends on the fixture list that is yet to be released officially. So far, we have been waiting for the exact schedule to be revealed so that we can correlate it with his plan and figure out his availability for the entire season or just selected matches,” Dipendra Chaudhary said.
