Sandeep Lamichhane Appointed ODI Captain of Nepal Ahead of ACC Men’s Premier Cup
Legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane has taken over as Nepal’s ODI captain, replacing Rohit Paudel, as announced by the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN). This change comes ahead of the ACC Men’s Premier Cup, scheduled to run from August 30 to September 12 in Malaysia. This marks Lamichhane’s return to the captaincy, having previously led the team before his suspension in 2022.
Lamichhane’s first term as captain ended when he was suspended after an arrest warrant was issued against him. In 2023, a district court in Kathmandu found him guilty of rape, a conviction that was overturned in 2024 by the Patan High Court due to “a lack of evidence.” At the time of his suspension, he was leading Nepal in both One Day Internationals (ODIs) and T20Is, with Dipendra Singh Airee now managing the T20I side.
Nepal enters the upcoming tournament struggling in the 50-over format, recently recording four consecutive losses in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2. As a result, they currently sit seventh out of eight teams in the competition.
In this second tenure, Lamichhane will expand upon his experience of 14 ODIs. He holds a significant presence in the Nepalese bowling lineup, tallying 154 wickets in 77 matches, with a standout performance of 6 for 11 against Papua New Guinea in September 2021. Lamichhane’s skills have not gone unnoticed in T20 leagues globally; he has played 91 matches in leagues such as the IPL, PSL, BBL, CPL, and most recently the BPL.
In October 2025, CAN suspended Lamichhane for two T20Is after he withdrew from a match at the last minute. In February 2026, he participated in the T20 World Cup, where Nepal secured one victory out of four matches played.
Nepal Squad for ACC Men’s Premier Cup
- Sandeep Lamichhane (capt)
- Rohit Paudel
- Aasif Sheikh
- Arjun Kumal
- Dev Khanal
- Dipendra Singh Airee
- Basir Ahamad
- Ishan Pandey
- Gulshan Kumar Jha
- Sher Malla
- Lalit Narayan Rajbanshi
- Karan KC
- Hemant Dhami
- Sundeep Jora
Special Credits: Image Courtesy of Espn
