Nepal spinner Sandeep Lamichhane is the first and only cricketer (thus far) from his country to play in the Indian Premier League. A cricketer whose international team is recognized by his name chiefly because of his achievements in T20 leagues around the world, former Australia captain Michael Clarke has played a vital part in nurturing Lamichhane’s talent.
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Having registered himself at a base price of INR 20 lakh (approx $27,000) in IPL 2018 auction, Lamichhane was sold to Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) for the very same price. In the middle of putting together a brand new squad in a mega auction, Delhi’s scouting staff was highly impressed with Lamichhane’s skills.
5 Days After Delhi Daredevils Bought Him For INR 20 Lakh, Sandeep Lamichhane Had Credited Michael Clarke’s Mentorship For Maiden IPL Deal
Lamichhane was just 17-year old when he was first selected for the cash-rich IPL. Interestingly, Nepal used to play in Division 2 at the time due to a lack of ODI and T20I status. With his crop of bowlers known for their wicket-taking capability, Lamichhane had allured limelight on the back of picking 12 wickets in nine matches during the WCL Championship.
As far as Clarke is concerned, Lamichhane first met him during Hong Kong T20 Blitz 2016. With the tournament getting hampered because of rain, he could bowl just three overs. However, it was enough for Clarke to see the leg-spinner’s potential. Clarke then invited Lamichhane to Australia where he played for Western Suburbs in the Sydney grade competition.
Just five days after finding a buyer in IPL 2018 auction on January 26, Lamichhane had talked about Clarke’s role behind his success. Speaking to PTI, Lamichhane revealed how Clarke took care of him and how playing in Australia played a very important role in his development.
“Michael Clarke has had the biggest influence on me as a cricketer. From the time, he saw me bowling at the Hong Kong Sixes, he kept an eye on me. He is a kind man, a humble soul, who has helped me grow as a cricketer and a person.”
Sandeep Lamichhane Was Released Before IPL 2021
Lamichhane was one of six players released by Capitals before IPL 2021 auction. A main reason behind his release was an existing pool of high-profile spinners in their squad.
Lamichhane, who warmed the bench throughout IPL 2020 due to the presence of Ravichandran Ashwin, Axar Patel and Amit Mishra, picked a total of 13 wickets at an economy rate of 8.34 across nine matches in IPL 2018 and 2019. Since then, he has not been able to attract a single bidder in IPL auctions.
