Eight Nepali players, including national team captain Rohit Paudel and vice-captain Dipendra Singh Airee, are all set to feature in the first-ever EU T20 League Belgium.

Dipendra had already been pre-signed by JB Bruges, while star leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane joined Liège Red Lions ahead of the draft. The remaining four Nepali players, including Captain Rohit, were selected during the draft held on Tuesday, with Anil Sah and Gulshan Jha added in the optional round.

Captain Rohit was drafted by Ghent Gladiators under Category ‘B’, while wicketkeeper Aasif Sheikh was picked by Antwerp Anchors in Category ‘C’. Meanwhile, Lalit Rajbanshi and Ishan Pandey joined JB Bruges through the draft, with Anil Sah and Gulshan Jha completing the team via the optional round—all four in Category ‘C’.

JB Bruges is owned by Dream Sports, the same company behind the Janakpur Bolts in the Nepal Premier League (NPL). Prior to the draft, JB Bruges had pre-signed high-profile international players, including New Zealand opener Colin Munro, South Africa’s Rassie van der Dussen and Wayne Parnell, and Indian cricketer Nikhil Chaudhary.

A total of 22 Nepali cricketers had registered for the league. Besides those already drafted or pre-signed, the list includes Kushal Bhurtel, Aarif Sheikh, Karan KC, Sompal Kami, Aadil Ansari, Sher Malla, Lokesh Bam, Binod Bhandari, Sharad Vesawkar, Aadil Alam, Santosh Yadav, Kushal Malla, Bhim Sharki, Shahab Alam, Gulshan Jha, and Pawan Sarraf.

For Lalit Rajbanshi, Aasif Sheikh, and Ishan Pandey, this will be their first experience playing in an overseas franchise league. In contrast, Captain Rohit, Dipendra, and Sandeep have previously represented teams abroad.

Team Composition

Before the draft, each team had pre-signed five players. Over seven rounds of drafting, teams added more talent, bringing the squad size to 12. Afterward, Belgian players were selected, with each team required to include at least four locals, increasing the total squad size to 16.

Teams are also allowed to pick up to two additional players via the optional round, under which Anil Sah and Gulshan Jha joined JB Bruges. The draft followed a structured format: Category ‘A’ players were selected in the first round, followed by two rounds for Category ‘B’ and four rounds for Category ‘C’.

Each squad must now have a minimum of 16 and a maximum of 18 players, ensuring a balanced mix of international stars and local talent.