Biratnagar Kings have raised the bar for the second season of the NPL with two legendary batsmen in the squad. Biratnagar Kings dropped another bombshell on Sunday—announcing that they were retaining the former New Zealand international Martin Guptill. Guptill did not have a season as he, as well as the fans, expected during the first edition of the NPL. In six matches he played for the Kings, Guptill managed 137 runs with only one fifty, 15 fours and five sixes.
In the history of the Nepal Premier League (NPL), former New Zealand opener Martin Guptill became the first batsman to score a half-century. Guptill scored 50 runs off 36 balls, hitting seven fours and one six. Guptill struck a rapid 61 off 35 balls, hammering three fours and five sixes. Bam and Guptill dominated the attack, stitching a 132-run partnership for the second wicket—the second-highest stand in NPL history. Guptill is undoubtedly a beast with the bat, and his stats say as much. He ranks 24th in the list of batsmen with the most runs for the Blackcaps in Tests, with 2,586 runs in 89 innings of 47 matches. Guptill is New Zealand’s all-time highest runscorer in T20Is, with 3,531 runs that include two centuries and 20 half-centuries.
Discussion — Questions for fans and analysts:
- Given his NPL Season 1 returns (137 runs, one fifty in six matches), can Guptill convert form into match-winning consistency for Biratnagar this season?
- How important will Guptill’s experience and boundary-hitting be to a Kings lineup that has added other big names like Faf du Plessis?
- Does the 132-run second-wicket stand with Lokesh Bam signal a settled opening pair for Biratnagar, or should the team look for other combinations?
- With Guptill’s T20 credentials and recent 61 off 35, should the Kings build their batting around him in powerplay and middle overs?
- Can Guptill’s presence lift Biratnagar beyond their sixth-place finish last season and push them into contention for the title?
Keep the discussion factual, respectful, and cricket-focused.