The biggest attraction of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) season two was the introduction of floodlights. Amid uncertainty, CAN announced the fixtures for season two just a week before the start of the competition, with as many as 23 matches scheduled under lights.

A week into the tournament, the main talking points were glaring umpiring errors, the need for DRS, and a high number of dropped catches. There were also increasing demands for multiple venues because of low scores and tough batting conditions — not an ideal situation for batters in T20 cricket, a format that demands calculated risk-taking. Here, however, the focus is on dropped catches.

There were as many as 85 dropped catches across 32 matches — almost three per match. That figure is nearly double last season’s total (44), which was played around a similar time of the year, largely in morning and daytime conditions. While players never intend to drop catches, it has become part and parcel of cricket. On most days, dropped chances involving key batters change the course of matches and cost teams dearly. The dropped catch itself isn’t the issue; the rate is slightly alarming. Perhaps it is partly because many players are experiencing floodlight conditions for the first time, although overseas professionals and Nepali internationals do have reasonable experience.

This is not to say that dropped catches don’t occur in the IPL or international cricket. However, as the tournament grows, fans and players alike expect higher standards. Generally, Nepal’s fielding standards — both domestically and internationally — are strong, so the catching should naturally improve next season.

To put things in perspective, according to ESPNcricinfo, there were 94 dropped catches in the first 31 matches of IPL 2024 and 106 in total that season. In IPL 2025, the number stands at 103 after 39 matches. Catching efficiency dropped below expectations: 77.1% in 2024 and 76.1% in 2025 after 39 games.

In Nepal’s context, catching efficiency in NPL 2024 (season one) was 80%. This season, it has dropped to 76.2%.

How Dropped Catches Shaped the Tournament: A Complete Analysis

Dropped catches have quietly played a decisive role throughout the tournament — influencing momentum, inflating scores, and occasionally undoing good spells of bowling. Based on the complete drop-catch dataset, here’s a structured breakdown of what really happened.

Day/Night Matches: How Big Was the Problem?

Across Day/Night fixtures, 66 catches were dropped in total.

First innings: 34 drops

Second innings: 32 drops

The figures show no significant difference between innings, suggesting that dew or pressure under lights did not disproportionately affect fielding standards. Errors were spread almost evenly across both halves of D/N matches.

Which bowler suffered the most due to dropped catches?

Over the course of the tournament, Maaz Sadaqat was the bowler most affected by poor catching support. Five catches (two by himself) were dropped off his bowling more than anyone else’s, making him the most “unlucky” bowler in the competition. Abhishesh Gautam is second on the list with four drop catches off his bowling.

Who made teams pay the most after being dropped?

No dropped chance proved costlier than the one involving Mark Watt. He was dropped three times during his blistering 44-ball 114 — on 20, 39, and 79.

Another centurion of the tournament, Adam Rossington, was also dropped once (on 21) during his innings, and he duly punished Karnali Yaks.

Which batter’s catch was dropped the most?

D’Arcy Short tops the list. He was dropped five times across the tournament — more than any other batter. Multiple teams failed to capitalise on early chances, and Short repeatedly made them pay.

Dropped Catches by Team

Kathmandu Gorkhas – 7

Pokhara Avengers – 7

Karnali Yaks – 9

Biratnagar Kings – 11

Lumbini Lions – 12

Janakpur Bolts – 12

Sudurpaschim Royals – 13

Chitwan Rhinos – 14

When Dropped Catches Directly Affected Results

Janakpur Bolts dropped four catches against Chitwan Rhinos in a must-win game to stay alive in the playoff race. Despite the lapses, they successfully chased 177, ensuring the misses did not cost them on that occasion.

However, against eventual champions Lumbini Lions, Janakpur again dropped four catches — including two crucial chances of D’Arcy Short. This time, the errors proved decisive. Janakpur lost the match in the final over and were knocked out of the competition. That said, they also benefited from dropped chances in the same game, as Mayan Yadav was put down three times during his 27 in the first innings.

Karnali Yaks, while not prolific offenders overall, dropped a few critical catches that, in hindsight, cost them a place in the playoffs. Saif Zaib was dropped when he was on 8 with the game still evenly poised; he went on to score a rapid 38 off 16 balls as Karnali lost by four wickets. Dropped chances off Sahil Patel and Basir Ahamad later proved to be the final nail in the coffin. The Yaks lost on the penultimate delivery and never truly recovered from that defeat.

Who Dropped the Most Catches?

Maaz Sadaqat – 3

Abinash Bohara – 3

Sandeep Jora – 3

Rupesh Singh – 3

Sandeep Jora is normally a safe fielder — easily one of Nepal’s best at present. He dropped two catches that would be considered dollies by his own high standards, along with one tougher chance. Even Nepal’s arguably best fielder, Dipendra Singh Airee, dropped two — one slightly tougher and another regulation chance by his usual benchmarks.

It would be harsh to categorise Rohit Chand’s dropped chance for Pokhara as a simple error; he dived like a goalkeeper near the boundary in what was an incredible effort. Similarly, Scott Kuggeleijn and Maaz Sadaqat got only fingertips to hard-hit return catches off their own bowling — never easy chances. On the other hand, there were moments of brilliance: Sher Malla took a stunning one-handed blinder against Kathmandu Gorkhas, while young Naren Bhatta pulled off what was probably the catch of the season — reminiscent of Suryakumar Yadav’s effort in the T20 World Cup final last year, or Dev Khanal’s grab in NPL season one.

Nepal is best known for its spin bowling and watertight fielding. Their fielding during the Top End T20 Series in Australia was below their usual standards, but they showed their quality again in the West Indies series and during the Men’s T20 World Cup Asia & EAP Qualifier. There were, however, a few dropped catches again on the UAE tour.

While it’s never a great advertisement for the NPL — or for Nepal, a country that takes immense pride in its fielding — there is no need to panic. Catches will always be dropped, and no team wants to lose solely because of them. In modern-day T20 cricket, where every run can decide the fate of a team in high-stakes competition, fielding is an area where teams will continue to work relentlessly.