Sandeep Lamichhane picked as Nepal announce 15-member squad for T20 World Cup

Controversial spinner Sandeep Lamichhane was included in Nepal's 15-memmber squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup. He will be leading the side's spin attack once again after his brilliant form in the shortest format in 2025. He racked up a total of 21 wickets in 10 matches in 2025 and is arguably the team's most important player.

The controversy around Lamichhane

However, this doesn't take away the fact that Lamichhane had been sentenced to eight years in prison in 2024 after a lower court found him guilty of raping an 18-year-old. However, he was cleared of all charges by an appeal court and made his return to the international circuit with the 2024 T20 World Cup.

After continuing to impress in the bowling department, Lamichhane was given a place in Nepal's squad for the T20 World Cup. Notably, he is one of the highest wicket-takers in the shortest format and has a total of 129 wickets under his name from 68 T20Is. 

Paudel set to lead

Other notable players in the team include skipper Rohit Paudel, vice-captain Dipendra Airee and Basir Ahamad, who are also expected to play crucial roles for the team in the T20 World Cup. They will definitely be hoping to perform better than what they did in the 2024 T20 World Cup where they failed to win any of their four group stage games.

One of the team's all-round strengths lies in the all-rounder department where they have the likes of Airee, Gulshan Jha, Aarif Sheikh, and Sompal Kami. Additionally, wicketkeeping duties will most likely be fulfilled by Aasif Sheikh. It remains to be seen if they will be able to make it through the groups and reach the knockout stages.

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Nepal have been drawn in Group C alongside England, Bangladesh, Italy and the West Indies. They will begin their campaign against England on February 8 at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai.

Nepal's squad for 2026 T20 World Cup: Rohit Paudel (c), Dipendra Singh Airee, Sandeep Lamichhane, Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh, Sundeep Jora, Aarif Sheikh, Basir Ahamad, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Nandan Yadav, Gulshan Jha, Lalit Rajbanshi, Sher Malla, Lokesh Bam.