Taking up a playing contract in the mountainous nation of 30 million was always going to be a novel challenge for the Englishman, not least because the Twenty20 league was staged at a ground some 1,350 metres above sea level.

"I thought I was going to be constantly out of breath or struggling, but it wasn't actually as bad as I thought it was going to be," the 28-year-old recalled of his time playing for the Kathmandu Gurkhas.

"I think I noticed it more so with sixes. When they got the ball it absolutely went miles. A lot of balls ... kept going and going and going.

"When you think you've hit one straight up and it's a 70-metre six."

Apart from the extra flight of the ball at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground near Kathmandu, Douthwaite's other big takeaway from the experience was the enthusiasm of the Nepali fans.

"Cricket in Nepal is probably like the Premier League in England ... there's a kind of almost Indian cricket feel about the way people appreciate and love the game," he told Reuters.

This was the third attempt by Nepal, which became an ICC associate member in 1996 and has qualified for the T20 World Cup twice, to follow in the path of the Indian Premier League (IPL) by launching its own Twenty20 league.

The NPL hopes the passion of the fans, combined with the country's unique geography and society, will carve out a niche in a landscape dominated by the likes of the IPL and Australia's Big Bash League.

"We're rich in terms of nature," said Sandesh Katwal, the chief executive of the Gurkhas, one of eight NPL franchises.

"It's a beautiful country and we're a friendly, welcoming people. The weather, the hospitality suits international players."

Former England batting all-rounder and IPL veteran Ravi Bopara, who turned out for Chitwan Rhinos, said it was a great experience, even if he turned down the offer of a helicopter trip to Everest Base Camp.

GROWING PAINS

A modest budget meant the NPL could not attract the really big names in the sport.

All eight NPL franchises fetched a combined price of under 169 million Nepali rupees ($1.23 million) at an auction held last September. Prize money for the champions, Janakpur Bolts, was around $81 000.

By contrast, India's Rishabh Pant, the highest-paid player in the IPL, commanded over $3 million in the league's player auction for the 2025 edition.

A rushed first season also made it difficult to recruit international players, Katwal said.

"Everything happened within a one to two-month period ... most international players were already occupied. Many didn't know about this tournament," he added.

"Since Christmas was near, many overseas players were in a hurry to return. From the second season I think we can plan to start a bit earlier, October or November."

Nevertheless, the NPL proved to be an effective proving ground for Nepal's domestic talent, Bopara said.

"There was a group of players who were full of potential but lacked experience," he added.

Katwal said he hoped the NPL would provide that valuable competitive experience, as the IPL has done for young Indian talents.

"It's a dream come true for Nepali players ... sharing practice sessions with the foreign players, they definitely learned a lot. We also had coaches from India, Sri Lanka, England and elsewhere," he said.

"Since the IPL has started, you can see young players getting opportunities and it has paid off. The NPL is also an opportunity for Nepali players, a starting point."

Palmer inspires Chelsea to 4-1 win over Betis in Conference League final

Chelsea sparked into life in the second half as they came from behind to claim the Conference League trophy with a 4-1 victory over Real Betis on Wednesday, their revival inspired by the creativity of Cole Palmer at the Wroclaw Stadium.

Goals from Enzo Fernandez and Nicolas Jackson - both set up by the excellent Palmer - plus late strikes from Jadon Sancho and Moises Caicedo secured the silverware after Betis went in 1-0 up at halftime thanks to an early Abde Ezzalzouli strike.

The 23-year-old Palmer's two assists in five minutes during the second half turned the match around for Premier League club Chelsea and his efforts saw him named Player of the Match.

The victory means Chelsea are the first team to have won all three European competitions, having lifted the Champions League twice along with two Europa League trophies in their history. They have also won the now defunct Cup Winners' Cup.

"I am very happy. I was a little bit frustrated in the first half because I think we approached the game in the wrong way," Chelsea Manager Enzo Maresca told TNT Sport.

"In the second half we played much better."

The result had no bearing on European qualification for next season, with Chelsea having secured a Champions League spot and Real Betis a Europa League place via their domestic leagues.

Even before the match started, Betis fans set off green flares, their vibrant glow embodying the fervour and historic pride of the club’s debut appearance in a European final.

However, Betis appeared nervous in the opening minutes before they went ahead when Isco found the unmarked Ezzalzouli at the edge of the box in the ninth minute, giving him plenty of time to break the deadlock with a powerful low shot.

Betis nearly doubled their advantage minutes later when Marc Bartra's long-range effort forced Chelsea goalkeeper Filip Jorgensen to tip the ball over the bar.

Johnny Cardoso then received a perfectly weighted pass that put him in an ideal position to score another goal for Betis, but a moment of hesitation allowed Chelsea defender Benoit Badiashile to block his attempt.

SECOND-HALF TURNAROUND

In the first half, only one team had been in the ascendancy as Betis pushed forward and Chelsea were outplayed.

However, it was a different story in the second period as Chelsea seized control, dominating midfield and orchestrating a series of attacks that left Betis scrambling.

The pressure bore fruit in the 65th minute when Fernandez slipped between two defenders to head home a pinpoint Palmer cross for the equaliser and ignite a roar from the Chelsea fans.

Five minutes later, the match had completely turned around when Palmer cleverly turned his marker near the byline and again delivered a precise cross that enabled Jackson to bundle the ball into the net off his chest and put Chelsea ahead.

Sancho effectively ended the contest in the 83rd minute by firing into the far corner and Caicedo put the icing on the cake with the fourth goal in stoppage time to delight the fans and secure the London club's seventh major European trophy.

--Reuters--