Karnali Yaks Secures Asian Paints as Co-Sponsor for NPL

Kathmandu: Karnali Yaks Sports Pvt. Ltd., gearing up for the second season of the Nepal Premier League (NPL), has onboarded Asian Paints as its co-sponsor.

The agreement was formally signed on Tuesday at the Yak & Yeti Hotel in Kathmandu by Grihendra Ghimire, Director of Karnali Yaks, and Aastha Satyal, Assistant Marketing Manager of Asian Paints.

Ankita Shrestha, Assistant Marketing Manager from Asian Paints, was also present at the signing ceremony. Asian Paints Nepal is a leading producer of international-grade paints in the country and its products are widely favored in the Nepali market. The company has extended its reach across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the South Pacific.

Team Preparations and Previous Partnerships
Karnali Yaks had previously secured agreements with Kathmandu's Hotel Yak & Yeti as the Hospitality Partner, along with Nebico and Plumber Pipes.

The team has also planned a Trophy Tour across various cities, religious sites, and tourist destinations in Karnali Province on November 2, followed by a Talent Hunt on November 5. In the inaugural season, held from mid-December 2024 to early January 2025 (Mangsir 15 to Poush 6, 2081 BS), Karnali Yaks reached the second qualifier.

Coaching Staff and Squad Details
For the second season, Karnali Yaks has retained Gyanendra Malla as the Head Coach, with Raju Basnet serving as the Consulting Coach.

The team has retained marquee player Sompal Kami, along with Gulshan Jha, Nandan Yadav, Bipinprasad Sharma, Dipendra Rawat, Arjun Gharti, and Yunishsingh Thakuri. They successfully secured Pawan Sarraf, Yuvraj Khatri, Imran Sheikh, and Deepak Dumre through the auction.

Furthermore, Karnali has signed three international players. They renewed their contract with Australia's William Basisto and brought in James Watt and Max O’Dowd. Watt and O’Dowd will be playing in the NPL for the first time.