Sandeep Lamichhane

International career

Sandeep Lamichhane is a well-known cricketer from Nepal, born on August 2, 2000, in Aruchaur, Syangja, Gandaki Province. He started his cricket journey at a young age, inspired by the legendary Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne. Lamichhane trained at the Chitwan Cricket Academy, where his talent was spotted by coach Pubudu Dasanayake. At just 14 years old, he was selected for Nepal's under-19 training camp. Over the years, he has become one of the top players for Nepal, gaining recognition on the international stage.

Here’s a look at his cricket journey by year:

2018:

• January 2018: Lamichhane joined Nepal’s squad for the ICC World Cricket League Division Two tournament.
• February 2018: The International Cricket Council (ICC) named him one of the ten players to watch for the Cricket World Cup Qualifier.
• May 2018: Lamichhane made his T20I debut with the ICC Rest of the World XI team in the Hurricane Relief T20 Challenge against the West Indies at Lord's.
• July 2018: Lamichhane played Nepal’s first-ever ODI matches against the Netherlands after Nepal gained ODI status.
• August 2018: He was named in Nepal’s squad for the 2018 Asia Cup Qualifier.
• October 2018: Lamichhane finished as the leading wicket-taker in the 2018–19 ICC World Twenty20 Asia Qualifier with 24 wickets.

2019:

• June 2019: Lamichhane was named for the Regional Finals of the ICC T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier.
• November 2019: He made his first-class debut for Nepal against Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).

2020:

• February 2020: Lamichhane took his first five-wicket haul in an ODI match against the United States, with a career-best 6/16.
• February 2020: He became the first bowler from Nepal to take 100 wickets in T20 cricket.
• September 2020: Lamichhane was among the 18 cricketers awarded a central contract by the Cricket Association of Nepal.

2021:

• October 2021: Lamichhane was named ICC Player of the Month.
• December 2021: Lamichhane was appointed as Nepal's captain, following the dismissal of Gyanendra Malla and Dipendra Singh Airee.

2022:

Lamichhane continued leading the Nepal national team and added more achievements to his growing list.

2023:

• April 2023: Lamichhane set a new record by becoming the fastest bowler to reach 100 ODI wickets, doing so in just 42 matches.
• May 2023: He was named Player of the Series in the 2023 ACC Men's Premier Cup.
• October 2023: Lamichhane took a break from the Nepal Tri-nation T20I tournament for personal reasons.

2024:

• May 2024: Lamichhane was cleared by the ICC to play in the 2024 T20 Cricket World Cup, after his conviction was overturned.
• June 2024: Despite visa issues, Lamichhane was able to join the team in the West Indies for the World Cup finals.

Sandeep Lamichhane’s journey in cricket has been marked by determination and hard work. He continues to represent Nepal on the international stage, breaking records and gaining recognition.

Leagues Participation

Sandeep Lamichhane has played in several leagues around the world, showcasing his skills as a bowler. His involvement in these leagues has helped him become well-known and respected in the cricket world. Below is a summary of his participation in various leagues.

Indian Premier League (IPL)

Lamichhane's IPL journey started in 2018 when Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) bought him. He became the first Nepalese cricketer to play in the IPL. He had a strong start, taking wickets and making an impression. However, he didn’t play in 2022 after going unsold in the auction.

Year	Team	Notes
2018	Delhi Daredevils	First Nepalese cricketer in IPL, took 5 wickets in 3 matches
2019	Delhi Capitals	Played 6 matches, took 8 wickets
2020	Delhi Capitals	Played 3 matches, took 5 wickets
2021	Delhi Capitals	Base price 4 million INR, went unsold
2022	N/A	Went unsold in IPL auction

Lanka Premier League

In 2022, Lamichhane joined the Dambulla Giants for the Lanka Premier League.

Year	Team	Notes
2022	Dambulla Giants	Signed for Lanka Premier League

Caribbean Premier League

Lamichhane joined Jamaica Tallawahs for the 2020 Caribbean Premier League. He signed a contract, but due to a legal issue in Nepal, he left the tournament without playing in any games.

Year	Team	Notes
2020	Jamaica Tallawahs	Left mid-tournament due to legal issue

Pakistan Super League

Lamichhane joined Lahore Qalandars in the 2018 Pakistan Super League. He played well and helped his team win matches.

Year	Team	Notes
2018	Lahore Qalandars	Contributed to team’s wins, made impact in debut season

Bangladesh Premier League

He was part of Sylhet Sixers in the 2018-19 Bangladesh Premier League. Lamichhane played 6 matches and took 4 wickets.

Year	Team	Notes
2018	Sylhet Sixers	Played 6 matches, took 4 wickets

Big Bash League (BBL)

Lamichhane started in the Big Bash League in 2018 with Melbourne Stars. He became the first Nepalese cricketer to play in the league. He later played for Hobart Hurricanes, taking 48 wickets in 43 matches. In 2024, Lamichhane planned to return to BBL after missing the last three seasons.

Year	Team	Notes
2018	Melbourne Stars	First Nepalese cricketer in BBL, took 13 wickets
2020	Hobart Hurricanes	Played, took 35 wickets
2024	N/A	Nominated for BBL 14 draft

Afghanistan Premier League

Lamichhane was part of Nangarhar in the first Afghanistan Premier League in 2018. He played one match.

Year	Team	Notes
2018	Nangarhar	Played one match

Caribbean Premier League (CPL)

Lamichhane was selected by St Kitts and Nevis Patriots for the 2018 Caribbean Premier League. He made history as the first Nepalese player to play in CPL and won the Breakthrough Stars title for his 7 wickets in 5 matches.

Year	Team	Notes
2018	St Kitts and Nevis Patriots	First Nepalese player in CPL, 7 wickets in 5 matches, Breakthrough Stars title

Domestic career

Lamichhane started his List A career on April 16, 2016, during the 2015–17 ICC World Cricket League Championship against Namibia. Before this, he played for Nepal's Under-19 team in the 2016 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. He took a hat-trick against Ireland, becoming the fifth bowler in tournament history to do so. Lamichhane's performance in that match, with figures of 5/27, earned him the Man of the Match award. He finished the tournament as the second-highest wicket-taker, with 14 wickets at an average of 17.07.

His skills caught the attention of former Hong Kong cricketer Scott McKechnie, who invited him to play for Kowloon Cantons in the 2016 Hong Kong T20 Blitz. Lamichhane impressed everyone with seven wickets in three matches. During this time, he shared the dressing room with World Cup-winning captain Michael Clarke.

In September 2016, Michael Clarke invited Lamichhane to play for the Western Suburbs District Cricket Club in Sydney. Lamichhane also stood out in the 2017 ACC Under-19 Asia Cup, taking 5/8 against Malaysia. He played for Bagmati Province, continuing to build his reputation in Nepal's domestic cricket scene.

Other Leagues

Lamichhane played in several leagues around the world:

• In 2018, he was selected for the Montreal Tigers in the first Global T20 Canada tournament. He took 8 wickets in 5 matches, with an average of 19.62.
• In 2019, he joined the Toronto Nationals team for the 2019 Global T20 Canada tournament.
• In 2021, Lamichhane signed with Worcestershire for the T20 Blast in England. However, visa issues stopped him from playing, and he was released. He also missed The Hundred tournament in 2021 due to the same visa problems and was replaced by Tabraiz Shamsi.
• In 2024, Lamichhane plays for Biratnagar Kings in the Nepal Premier League. By November 30, 2024, he had played 7 matches, taken 1 wicket, and scored 30 runs.

Records and achievements

Sandeep Lamichhane has set several significant records in his career.

ODI

• Fastest player to reach 100 ODI wickets (42 innings)
• 2nd fastest to 50 ODI wickets (22 innings)
• 2nd most wickets in a series (72 wickets in the 2019–2023 ICC Cricket World Cup League 2)
• Best bowling performance: 6/11 in 5.1 overs against PNG on 10 September 2021
• Joint-most consecutive four-wicket hauls (3 times against UAE with 6/16, PNG with 4/35, and PNG with 6/11)
• 8th youngest ODI captain (21 years, 226 days)

T20I

• 2nd fastest bowler to reach 100 T20I wickets
• 9th most career wickets in T20Is (98 wickets)
• 5th fastest to 50 T20I wickets (29 innings)
• Joint-3rd most wickets in a year (38 wickets in 2022)
• 2nd best bowling figures by a T20I captain: 5/9 against Kenya on 29 August 2022
• 2nd best bowling figures in a losing T20I match: 5/9 against Kenya on 29 August 2022
• 3rd most LBW wickets in T20Is (17 wickets)
• Joint-2nd most maidens in an innings in T20Is (2 maidens)

Honours

• NNIPA Best Youth Player of the Year (2017)
• NCCS-CPAN Cricketer of the Year (2018)
• ICC Men's Player of the Month (September 2021)

Personal life

Sandeep Lamichhane lives a busy life outside cricket. He has other interests and a large following of supporters. Sandeep’s father is Chander Narayan Lamichhane. He has a brother named Mohan and a sister named Indu. Details about his mother are not available.

Finance

Lamichhane’s net worth is estimated at $5 million as of 2024.

Cars and House

In 2022, Lamichhane bought a Nissan X-Trail worth Rs 1.45 crore.

Scandals

In January 2024, Lamichhane was sentenced to eight years in prison for an alleged crime. After an appeal, the Nepalese court overturned the decision, and Lamichhane was acquitted four months later.

Fans

Lamichhane has many fans. In 2018, he thanked them on Twitter for their support when he joined Kerala Kings. In 2024, when he rejoined Nepal’s national team for the T20 World Cup, he asked his fans to cheer for Nepal's return after ten years. Lamichhane has 350k followers on Instagram. 

Lamichhane is also a singer. His first song, Udash Thiyo, was released in July 2018 as part of the album Pratikshya – The Waiting. He shares his music on his YouTube channel.