Kathmandu, Oct. 31 -- As the eight franchises compete for the title of the third season of the Nepal Premier League, Lumbini Lions have the extra challenge as defenders.

The Lions had finished at the bottom in the first season but they made a roaring comeback in the second season to lift the trophy. Following that miraculous victory, the Lions' difficult charge is now being led by Rohit Kumar Paudel.

Lumbini do not have a star-studded squad. Their overseas squad is comprised of Sri Lanka's wicketkeeper-batsman Niroshan Dickwella, Bangladeshi all-rounder Shamim Hossain, Australian opener D'Arcy Short, the American all-rounder Shadley Claude van Schalkwyk and Namibian pacer Ruben Trumpelmann.

Lumbini's squad does not feel intimidating en...