Sandeep Lamichhane

Sandeep Lamichhane (सन्दीप लामिछाने; born 2 August 2000) is a Nepalese cricketer. He plays for the Nepalese national team. He is right-handed leg spin bowler. Lamichhane plays for Delhi Daredevils in the Indian Premier League. He is the first Nepalese cricketer to get a contract and play in the Indian Premier League.

His first international match was a Twenty20 International (T20I) match against the West Indies. There he represented a World XI side. He became the first cricketer to make an international debut representing a combined team. He was one of the eleven cricketers to play in Nepal's first ever One Day International (ODI) match. The match was against the Netherlands in August 2018. In October 2018, he became the first cricketer from Nepal to be signed up for the Big Bash League in Australia.

Early life
Sandeep Lamichhane was born on 2 August 2000 in Aruchaur, Syangja, Nepal. During his childhood, Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne were his cricketing idols. Then he moved to Chitwan district. There he started training at Chitwan Cricket Academy which is run by former captain Raju Khadka. During a visit of current captain Paras Khadka and former coach of Nepal Pubudu Dasanayake, Sandeep was told to bowl in the nets. They picked him straight to the national camp for under-19.

Early career
He made his List A debut in the 2015–17 ICC World Cricket League Championship on 16 April 2016. The match was against Namibia. Before his List A debut, he was named in Nepal's under-19 squad for the 2016 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. In their 2nd match against Ireland U-19 team in the tournament, he took a hat-trick in the 32nd over of the match. He took wickets of Lorcan Tucker, Adam Dennison and Fiachra Tucker. He became the fifth bowler to take a hat-trick in the under-19 world cup history. He became man of the match for his good bowling. He took 5 wickets giving 27 runs.

In the fifth-place playoff match against Pakistan U-19 team, he took 3 wickets giving 53 runs. In the seventh-place playoff match against Namibia U-19 team, he took 3 wickets giving 35 runs. He finished the tournament as second highest wicket taker with 14 wickets at an average of 17.07 and strike rate of 21.9. In September 2016 Lamichhane received a letter from former Australian captain Michael Clarke. He invited him to play at the Sydney-based Western Suburbs District Cricket Club. In 2017 ACC Under-19 Asia Cup, he took 5 wickets giving 8 runs. Malaysia U-19 team was able to make 45 runs only. He became the man of the match.

T20 franchise cricket
In January 2018, he was included in the list of players for auction in the 2018 Indian Premier League. There his base price was ₹20 lakhs. He was bought by Delhi Daredevils at his base price. He became the first Nepalese cricketer to get a contract in the Indian Premier League.

In May 2018, he made his T20 debut playing for the Delhi Daredevils in the 2018 Indian Premier League (IPL). He became the first Nepalese cricketer to play in the IPL. He took a wicket for 25 runs on his debut match against Royal Challengers Bangalore. In the tournament he took five wickets in three matches with 16.4 bowling average.

In October 2018, he was signed by the Melbourne Stars for the Big Bash League (BBL). He became the first cricketer from Nepal to be signed up to the BBL.

International career
In January 2018, he was named in Nepal's squad for the 2018 ICC World Cricket League Division Two tournament. In their opening match against Namibia, he was the man of the match. In the match he took 4 wickets giving 18 runs in 8.2 overs. They won the match by 1 wicket. The third match was against the United Arab Emirates. There he took 3 wickets giving 30 runs. In the fourth match against Kenya, he took his first five wicket haul in List A cricket. He took 5 wickets giving 20 runs. He was named the man of the match.

Lamichhane was awarded with ICC World Cricket League Division Two Player of the tournament award. The award was for his economical bowling and most wickets taken in that tournament by any player. He took 17 wickets in six matches.

In February 2018, the International Cricket Council (ICC) named Lamichhane as one of the ten players to watch ahead of the 2018 Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament. After Cricket World Cup Qualifier tournament, the ICC also named Lamichhane as the rising star of Nepal's squad.

In July 2018, he was named in Nepal's squad for their One Day International (ODI) series against the Netherlands. In August 2018, he was named in Nepal's squad for the 2018 Asia Cup Qualifier tournament.