Dream Sports owns Janakpur Bolts, the same management that acquired the Lumbini All-Stars two years ago during the Nepal T20 League. Back then, the All-Stars dominated the tournament and clinched the title with ease. The Bolts will be eager to replicate that success this season.
Janakpur Bolts Squad
- Aasif Sheikh ( Marquee Player ) , Lalit Rajbanshi, Anil Kumar Sah, Rupesh K Singh, Kishore Mahato, Aakash Tripathi, Shubh Kansakar, Sher Malla, Hemant Dhami, Arniko Prasad Yadav, Tul Bahadur Thapa Magar. Foreign Players: James Neesham, Ben Mike, Lahiru Milantha, Muhammad Mohsin,Harsh Thaker, Joshua Tromp.
- Head Coach: Pubudu Dassanayake (Sri Lanka)
- Consultant Coach: Manoj Katuwal ( Nepal )
Interestingly, three players from that championship-winning squad—Anil Kumar Sah, Kishore Mahato, and Sri Lankan southpaw Lahiru Milantha—are now part of the Janakpur Bolts. The team has already settled on an opening pair in the form of Anil Kumar Sah and Aasif Sheikh, who have also been opening together for the national team. Lahiru Milantha, who opened two years ago, is likely to bat at No. 3, with Anil now established as a top-order batter instead of his previous role in the middle order.
However, the team will miss promising youngsters Aakash Tripathi and Hemant Dhami due to their national duty with Nepal’s U-19 team, which will be competing in the U-19 Asia Cup in the UAE. Both players had been in scintillating form during the recent five-match series against Karnataka U-19, the reigning champions of the Cooch Behar Trophy.
To bolster the middle order, the Bolts have brought in former Canadian batter Harsh Thaker and young talent Joshua Tromp. James Neesham and Rupesh Singh will shoulder the responsibility of finishing matches.
On the bowling front, the team boasts several options, with Lalit Rajbanshi and Kishore Mahato leading the attack. However, the Bolts will need their all-rounders to provide crucial support to these experienced bowlers if they are to dominate in the tournament.
With a settled batting lineup and promising all-round options, the Janakpur Bolts are undoubtedly among the top contenders for the title this season.
Possible Line-up:
- Anil Kumar Sah
- Aasif Sheikh
- Lahiru Milantha
- Shubh Kansakar / Aakash Tripathi
- Harsh Thaker
- Joshua Tromp
- James Neesham
- Rupesh K. Singh
- Sher Malla / Hemant Dhami / Muhammad Mohsin
- Lalit Rajbanshi
- Kishore Mahato