NPL returns with fresh faces and fierce rivalries

Zimbabwe’s flagship club cricket competition, the National Premier League (NPL), returns this weekend for its fifth edition, boasting a revamped format, five debutant sides and the widest representation in the tournament’s history.

The 2025/26 season gets underway on Saturday, 2 August, with seven opening-round fixtures set to be played across the country over two days, as 14 teams begin the battle for the coveted silverware.

Defending champions Takashinga Patriots 1 are among the headline acts in a field that also includes familiar contenders such as Westside, Rangers, Gladiators and Takashinga Patriots 2.

But the spotlight will also shine on five newcomers – Chiredzi Cricket Club, Methane Lions, Eastern Titans, Alex Sports Club and Amakhosi 2 – who will be making their NPL debuts.

Under a new qualification system introduced by Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC), the top four teams from the previous season were granted automatic entry into the tournament, while the remaining 10 spots were filled through a combination of provincial league winners and a national playoff series.

The result is a competition with representation from six provinces, including traditionally underrepresented regions such as Masvingo and Mashonaland West, signalling ZC’s push to widen the game’s footprint.

This season’s curtain-raiser sees Methane Lions, one of Masvingo’s two new representatives, host Gladiators at Masvingo Sports Club, marking a historic first NPL appearance for the home side.

Also on Saturday, Westside – last season’s runners-up – travel to Harare to face Takashinga Patriots 2 at Old Hararians Sports Club, while Rangers meet Midlands outfit Mbizo in Kwekwe.

The action continues on Sunday with champions Takashinga Patriots 1 beginning their title defence against Queens Sports Club at Kwekwe Sports Club.

In Bulawayo, sibling sides Amakhosi 1 and Amakhosi 2 will clash in a much-anticipated local derby at Bulawayo Athletic Club, while in Masvingo, Chiredzi Cricket Club – another of the new additions – host Rimuka from Mashonaland West in their first top-flight appearance.

Rounding off the weekend is the encounter between Alex Sports Club and Eastern Titans in Harare, two more debutants eager to make their mark in a competition that continues to grow in both stature and scale since its inception in 2020.

The second round of matches is scheduled for 6 and 7 August, with the league set to feature a total of 91 games.

The final round is pencilled in for mid-September, as teams across the country jostle for supremacy in what promises to be the most competitive NPL season yet.

NATIONAL PREMIER LEAGUE – MATCHDAY 1 FIXTURES: