Sandeep Lamichhane replaces Rohit Paudel as Nepal’s ODI captain

Legspinner Sandeep Lamichhane has replaced Rohit Paudel as Nepal’s ODI captain ahead of the ACC Men’s Premier Cup. The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) announced a 14-member squad for the tournament which is scheduled to take place in Malaysia from August 30 to September 12.

It will be Lamichhane’s second stint as Nepal’s captain. His first was cut short in 2022 – CAN suspended him after an arrest warrant was issued against him. In 2023, a Kathmandu district court found him guilty of rape. In 2024, the Patan High Court acquitted him because of “a lack of evidence”

At the time of his suspension, Lamichhane was Nepal’s captain in both white-ball formats. Now Dipendra Singh Airee holds the position in T20I cricket.

Nepal are in a difficult way in the 50-over format. They recently suffered four successive defeats in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 which has left them in seventh place out of eight teams in the competition.

Lamichhane will now add to his 14 ODIs in charge. He is a key member of the Nepal bowling attack with 154 wickets in 77 matches including a best of 6 for 11 against Papua New Guinea in September 2021. The T20 circuit has taken notice of his wristspin talents as well. He has accrued 91 matches playing for teams in the IPL, PSL, BBL, CPL and most recently in the BPL.

In October 2025, CAN suspended Lamichhane for two T20Is after he pulled out of one at the last minute. In February 2026, he was part of the T20 World Cup where Nepal won one out of four games.

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

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