Season 3 in numbers
Two matches, 11 runs at an average of 5.50 and a strike rate of 73.33, with a highest score of 8. With the ball he has 2 wickets at 7.14 runs an over — the bowling has worked; the batting has not.
| Batting | M | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s | HS | SR | Avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NPL Season 3 | 2 | 11 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 73.33 | 5.50 |
| Bowling | M | Balls | Runs | Wkts | Econ | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NPL Season 3 | 2 | 42 | 50 | 2 | 7.14 | 1/18 |
Season 3 figures cover every completed match through Match 21 (the abandoned Match 7 produced no play), compiled from the published match scorecards and updated 10 November 2026.
The two innings tell the story: 8 from 9 balls against Chitwan Rhinos in the opener, then 3 from 6 against Karnali Yaks. He has not played since — missing the five-over game against Sudurpaschim Royals, the two-run win over Janakpur Bolts and the Kathmandu defeat.
His right-arm off-break is a genuine tactical extra rather than a token part-time option: 1 for 18 against Chitwan and 1 for 32 against Karnali, at an economy of 7.14. But a batter signed to bat at four or five is judged on runs, and 11 in two games is not the return the Kings paid for.
Match by match
Every Charith Asalanka innings and spell in NPL Season 3 so far, in the order they happened.
| Match | Opponent | Batting | Bowling |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 — 26 Oct | Chitwan Rhinos | 8 (9 balls) | 1/18 (3 ov) |
| 6 — 30 Oct | Karnali Yaks | 3 (6 balls) | 1/32 (4 ov) |
The opener against Chitwan was the fuller game: 8 runs with the bat and 1 for 18 with the ball in the eight-run defeat. Against Karnali he made 3 and took 1 for 32 as the Kings lost by four wickets after posting 186 — the kind of total that should have been enough.
Since then he has been out of the XI. The Kings’ middle order has been carried by Bam, Russell and Imran Sheikh, and the overseas slots have gone to Russell and the gap players who have actually played — Angelo Mathews, Shehan Jayasuriya and Shubham Ranjane.
A reset that hasn’t fired yet
Asalanka is a Sri Lankan international batter and former white-ball captain who joined Biratnagar Kings as a direct overseas signing for NPL Season 3. His rise was rapid: ODI debut against England in June 2021, T20I debut against India a month later, then player of the series in the ODI rubber against South Africa that September.
He scored 231 runs at 46.20 at the 2021 T20 World Cup and made a maiden ODI hundred — 110 against Australia in June 2022. He captained Sri Lanka’s white-ball sides from 2024, then lost the ODI captaincy in May 2026 and was left out of October’s tri-series squad against Pakistan, so Season 3 doubles as a personal reset for a proven pressure-chase batter.
His calling card is the controlled chase: an unbeaten 80 from 49 balls against Bangladesh remains the template — a player who absorbs pressure and accelerates on his own terms, strong through the leg side and adept at manipulating spin in the middle overs rather than relying on pure power. Two games left is still enough time for one innings to change the story.
Where the Kings stand
Asalanka’s two matches have brought 11 runs and two wickets, and the Kings need more from their overseas slot: Biratnagar Kings are sixth after Match 21 — four points from five games, with a net run rate of −0.820. The full table is on the NPL Points Table, and every result is on the NPL Results page.
Asalanka’s place in the XI is the selection question of the run-in. The Kings need two wins from two games, and a proven international chase batter is exactly the profile that wins the second of those — against Lumbini Lions, the defending champions, on Saturday. Whether the captain trusts him again is the call that decides it.
What’s next
Two league games left in the Nepal Premier League, then the playoffs. The full list of every NPL fixture is on the NPL Schedule.
- Match 22 — Biratnagar Kings vs Pokhara Avengers: Thursday 12 November 2026, 12:30 PM NST (11:45 AM PKT, 6:45 AM UTC), TU International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur.
- Match 26 — Biratnagar Kings vs Lumbini Lions: Saturday 14 November 2026, 4:30 PM NST (3:45 PM PKT, 10:45 AM UTC), TU International Cricket Ground, Kirtipur.
- Playoffs: Qualifier 1 on Tuesday 17 November, the Eliminator on Wednesday 18 November, Qualifier 2 on Thursday 19 November, and the final on Saturday 21 November — every playoff starts at 4:30 PM NST.
Follow every NPL result as it happens on SialTV, with the points table updated after every match day.
Frequently asked questions
How many runs has Charith Asalanka scored in NPL 2026?
11 runs in two innings, at an average of 5.50 and a strike rate of 73.33, with a highest score of 8 against Chitwan Rhinos. He has also taken 2 wickets at 7.14 runs an over. Figures cover matches 1–21.
Was Charith Asalanka a Sri Lanka captain?
Yes. Asalanka captained Sri Lanka’s white-ball sides from 2024, after an ODI debut in June 2021 and 231 runs at 46.20 at the 2021 T20 World Cup. He lost the ODI captaincy in May 2026.
When is Biratnagar Kings’ next match?
Thursday 12 November 2026, against Pokhara Avengers in Match 22, at 12:30 PM NST at the TU Ground in Kirtipur. Their last league game is against Lumbini Lions on Saturday 14 November.