IPL 2018 Auction: Sandeep Lamichhane becomes the first Nepali to earn a contract

A big day for Nepal Cricket, who have their first-ever representative in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in their spinner Sandeep Lamichhane. The 17-year-old teenager managed to win a Rs. 20 Lakh contract and was bought by Delhi Daredevils. This indeed should be a huge moment for him and his country as the minnows chasing big dreams now find an opening.

Last year, Afghanistan made a grandstand entry into the IPL. Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan had a stellar season for the Sunrisers Hyderabad. They managed to win the hearts of every cricketing fan around the globe and they are also performing well in other leagues like the BPL and the BBL.

This year, the Afghan quota got much bigger and as many as 4 players managed to get bids. Rashid Khan went for a whopping Rs. 9 Crore, whilst Mujeeb Zadran, Zahir Khan and Mohammad Nabi went for decent prices as well. They are moving forward on the right track and are taking giant strides towards a bright future. Can this be a similar kind of a beginning to the Nepali era? Only time can decide that.

Received invitation from Michael Clarke

Sandeep has already gained a lot of fame around the cricketing fraternity. He made his List-A debut in the ICC World Cricket League Championship. Prior to that, he was also named in the Nepal U19 side for the 2016 World Cup. One of the biggest moments of his life came when Australian legend Michael Clarke invited him to play at the Sydney-based Western Suburbs District Cricket Club.

He will now be joining Delhi Daredevils, who have the legendary 2-time World Cup-winning captain Ricky Ponting at the helm. He will also join some great International names in Gautam Gambhir, Trent Boult, Colin Munro, and Chris Morris. This will be one of the finest learning curves for the teenager and if he can make his mark in the greatest T20 League in the world.

Keep following CricTracker for more updates on IPL auction.