IPL 2018: Sandeep Lamichhane a hero in Nepal after historic deal
Wednesday 31 January 2018 14:10, UK
Nepal leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane says his breakthrough Indian Premier League deal will give him the chance to play alongside the cricketing elite and promote the sport back at home.
The 17-year-old became Nepal's first IPL cricketer when Delhi Daredevils picked him up for base price contract of $31,499 in last weekend's auction, prompting Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to tweet: "Not just me, but the entire nation is proud of you."
Lamichhane reflected: "If you get the chance to play in the IPL, lots of players will be there who are very experienced guys and I think I will learn a lot."
The teenager is expected to raise the cricketing profile of Nepal - the only South Asian nation not to have Test, one-day or T20 status, barring the isolated kingdom of Bhutan.
Lamichhane credits Nepal's senior players with popularising the sport among young people in a football-mad country.
"The senior guys have done something for the new guys who are coming right now into the teams, and their contributions have made our country a cricket-crazy nation," he said.
Lamichhane's talent was first noticed by former Nepal national cricket coach Pubudu Dassanayake, who spotted him at a training camp in 2015.
The spin-bowling sensation then attracted the attention of Australian great Michael Clarke, when he played alongside the former captain in a Hong Kong Twenty20 Blitz tournament in 2016.
Clarke invited Lamichhane to train at his cricket academy in Sydney, an experience the teenager described as unforgettable.
"Playing with a player like Michael Clarke is such as a big thing. It was amazing and sharing a dressing room with him and getting experience from him, it was something like a dream come true," he said.
Lamichhane is currently in Dubai training with Nepal's national team ahead of the World Cricket League Division Two tournament in Namibia next month.
Nepal must finish in the top two to take part in the World Cup qualifiers in Zimbabwe in March. It has never qualified for the World Cup.
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