![Nepal cricket team [Source: AFP]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1786370947606_Nepal.jpg?type=hq)
Nepal cricket team [Source: AFP]
Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has announced a new captain for the Nepal men’s ODI team. Replacing batting all-rounder Rohit Paudel, the cricket board has now appointed Nepal’s superstar spinner and former Delhi Capitals player as its skipper for the upcoming ACC Men’s Premier Cup 2026.
The player in contention is none other than 26-year-old Sandeep Lamichhane, who will be making his return as Nepal captain after a gap of four years.
Sandeep Lamichhane replaces Rohit Paudel as Nepal captain
CAN has announced a 14-player Nepal squad for the upcoming 2026 ACC Men’s Premier Cup. In the process, the cricket board also appointed experienced spinner Sandeep Lamichhane as Nepal’s new ODI captain as a replacement for Rohit Paudel.
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Despite getting sacked as skipper, Paudel still found a place in the Nepal squad for the upcoming ODI tournament in Malaysia. Here is a look at the entire 14-player Nepal squad for the 2026 ACC Men’s Premier Cup.
Nepal squad for 2026 ACC Premier Cup:
Sandeep Lamichhane (c), Asif Sheikh, Arjun Kumal, Rohit Paudel, Dev Khanal, Dipendra Singh Airee, Sundeep Jora, Basir Ahamad, Ishan Pandey, Gulsan Jha, Sher Malla, Lalit Rajbanshi, Karan KC and Hemant Dhami.
Taking to X, CAN announced Lamichhane’s ascension to full-time skipper by writing “Sandeep Lamichhane steps in as Nepal’s new ODI Captain, leading the side at the ACC Men’s Premier Cup.”
Rohit Paudel and Sandeep Lamichhane’s track record as Nepal captain
Rohit Paudel was appointed as Nepal ODI captain back in mid-2022. To date, the cricketer has led the Nepal national team in 63 ODI matches, yielding them 31 wins and 30 defeats with two no results.
Nepal’s most successful captain in ODI cricket by a landslide, Paudel maintained a win percentage of 50.81.
It is worth noting that Sandeep Lamichhane also briefly led the Nepal ODI cricket team back in 2022, before the full-time appointment of Rohit Paudel. Lamichhane led the team in 14 ODI matches, but managed to secure just four wins at the expense of nine defeats.
Getting reappointed as Nepal captain after a gap of four years, the 26-year-old will now be hoping to improve his track record as national ODI skipper.
Interestingly, the senior spinner has also captained Nepal in 18 T20I games, leading them to 13 wins and just five defeats with a staggering win percentage of 72.22.
Sandeep Lamichhane to start off Nepal’s campaign against Saudi Arabia
Under the leadership of Sandeep Lamichhane, Nepal cricket team will commence their 2026 Men’s Premier Cup 2026 campaign with a match against Saudi Arabia on September 1. The match will be hosted by the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur.
Nepal will then face fellow Group A sides like Bahrain, hosts Malaysia and Hong Kong between September 3 and September 7 at the UKM-YSD Cricket Oval.
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