Former Delhi Daredevils cricketer Yogesh Nagar was one of the four international recruits announced by Lalitpur Patriots on Wednesday for this season’s Everest Premier League.

The six-team franchised based Twenty20 cricket tournament begins at the TU Stadium on December 18. According to tournament rules, each team needs to have at least three foreign players in their squad. Patriots on Wednesday also officially announced national team vice captain Gyanendra Malla as their skipper. Malla is also the marquee player of the team.

The 27-year old Nagar had previously played Indian Premier League (IPL) outfits Delhi Daredevils and is currently not associated with any IPL club. Gujarat-born Jaykishan Kolsawala and Subodh Bhati are the other two Indian recruitments for Patriots. Both Kolsawala and Bhati have experience of playing in the Ranji Trophy.

While Kolsawala is the left-hand batsman and wicketkeeper, Bhatti is a medium pace bowler and Nagar a batting allrounder who delivers off spin. Lalitpur Patriots chairman Kishor Maharjan said the Indian trio will join the Patriots camp on December 16.

Patriots recently picked up four players from a talent hunt programme and will only include one of them in their squad. Partish GC, Sumit Jha, Bipin Acharya and current U-16 skipper Rit Gautam were picked up following the talent hunt programme, as per EPL rules.

Leg spin sensation Sandeep Lamichhane, veteran allrounder Mehboob Alam along with national team’s new entrant Kushal Bhurtel are some other big names in the Patriots squad. Other players include Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi, Shankar Rana, Rajbir Singh, Pawan Sarraf, Sonu Tamang, Rashid Khan and Sandeep Jora.

Kathmandu Kings XI, Pokhara Rhinos, Chitwan Tigers, Biratnagar Warriors and Bhairahawa Gladiators are the other five franchises in the EPL. The tournament gives away a cash purse of Rs 2.1 million—the highest cash amount ever handed over to the champions in the domestic cricket history.