Star spinner Sandeep Lamichhane etched his name in history during the Nepal versus Bangladesh clash at the T20 World Cup 2024 on June 17. The Nepalese leg-spinner, already his country's leading wicket-taker in T20Is, became the second-fastest bowler to reach 100 wickets in the format. However, Lamichhane's feat was dampened by Bangladesh's stunning win which also propelled them to Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup
Coming back to Lamichhane's achievement, he bagged the milestone in just 54 matches, one more than Afghanistan's Rashid Khan who holds the record for the fastest. He started the day needing just two wickets, and deliveries to Jaker Ali and Tanzim Hasan Sakib sealed the milestone for him.
Fastest to 100 T20I wickets
Rashid Khan (AFG) - 53 matches
Sandeep Lamichhane (NEP) - 54 matches*
Wanindu Hasaranga (SL) - 63 matches
Haris Rauf (PAK) - 71 matches
Mark Adair (IRE) - 72 matches
Sandeep Lamichhane's historic feat wasn't just a personal milestone, it was a first for Nepal. The young spinner, despite missing matches in the USA due to visa issues, has been phenomenal upon his return to the West Indies. While he remained wicketless against South Africa, he kept their batting in check.
Against Bangladesh, Lamichhane truly rattled the Tigers. His exceptional bowling figures of 4-1-17-2 included the crucial wicket of Tanzim Hasan Sakib, officially etching his name in Nepalese cricketing history. Bangladesh batsmen struggled against his spin, and Nepal bundled them out for a mere 106 runs in 19.3 overs. Lamichhane wasn't alone in his bowling dominance. Sompal Kami, Dipendra Singh Airee, and Rohit Paudel chipped in with two wickets each. Bangladesh, despite having seven batsmen reach double digits, failed to convert their starts. Shakib Al Hasan was their highest scorer with a modest 17 runs.
However, despite posting a lowly total, Bangladesh emerged victorious against Nepal by 21 runs, securing the final spot in the T20 World Cup's Super 8 phase. This win grants Bangladesh a place in Group 1 alongside powerhouses India, Australia, and Afghanistan.
Nepal's batting order was dismantled early on by the fiery pace duo of Tanzim Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman. Tanzim ripped through the top order within the first seven overs, claiming three wickets during the powerplay and adding another just after its conclusion. He finished his spell with an impressive 4/7 in just four overs. A glimmer of hope emerged for Nepal with a promising partnership between Kushal Malla and Dipendra Singh Airee. However, Mustafizur reignited Bangladesh's dominance by dismissing Malla in the 17th over. Nepal's batting then crumbled under pressure, losing their last three wickets in quick succession. Mustafizur secured Airee's wicket on the final ball of the 19th over, and Shakib Al Hasan capitalized with two quick wickets off the first two deliveries of the 20th over, sealing Nepal's fate.
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