Sherfane Rutherford, a left-handed batter from the West Indies, has agreed to play for Sudurpaschim Royals in the third Nepal Premier League, while Shamim Hossain, a batting all-rounder from Bangladesh, has been signed by Lumbini Lions for the same competition. The goal of both acquisitions is to strengthen each team’s batting and all-around capabilities.
In addition to his aggressive middle-order batting, Rutherford, 28, bowls at a medium pace. He has amassed 5,090 runs from 283 T20 cricket matches at a career strike rate of 142.05, hitting 324 sixes in the process. He has played for the West Indies in 31 One-Day Internationals and 61 Twenty20 Internationals, amassing 873 runs in ODIs and 1,123 in T20Is, with a best T20I score of 84.
Shamim Hossain has been signed by Lumbini Lions
The Caribbean Premier League, Indian Premier League, Pakistan Super League, Bangladesh Premier League, Lanka Premier League, International League T20, and Major League Cricket are just a few of the major franchise competitions in which Rutherford has competed. He played for the Gujarat Titans in the 2025 Indian Premier League, scoring 291 runs in 13 games. He has also played for the Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Although he did not play in those championship seasons, he was a member of teams affiliated with the Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders.
The Sudurpaschim Royals have acquired a player with a track record of scoring quickly in the middle order and a wealth of franchise experience. The team’s chief executive officer, Prakash Khadka, announced the signing and described the West Indian’s expectations. Rutherford was also enthusiastic about the prospect. Sherfane Rutherford is an experienced and aggressive player, and we are thrilled to have him join the Sudurpaschim Royals.
We think the team will benefit from his batting prowess and franchise cricket background. According to Khadka, who was cited by The Kathmandu Post, “We anticipate him making a significant contribution to our campaign this season, and his presence in the NPL will also excite our supporters.”I am thrilled to be a part of the Sudurpaschim Royals. Playing in the NPL and displaying my abilities in front of Nepali fans excites me. “I want to play well with the team and provide thrilling cricket for the fans,” he continued.
Among Rutherford’s noteworthy franchise accolades were playing for the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, who won the CPL in 2022, and the Karachi Kings, who won the PSL in the 2020–21 season.
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Shamim Hossain gives the Lumbini Lions more all-around cover for the upcoming NPL season by combining off-spin bowling with aggressive middle-order batting. He made his ODI debut against Afghanistan in 2023 after making his T20 international debut against Zimbabwe in 2021.
Shamim Hossain’s early success was highlighted by his participation in the Bangladeshi team that won the 2020 ICC Under-19 World Cup. He scored 352 runs while playing for the Chittagong Kings in the 2024–25 Bangladesh Premier League, helping the team advance to the final. This performance demonstrated his worth as a franchise cricket player.
