Nepal’s cricket sensation, Sandeep Lamichhane, has achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Nepalese bowler to claim 100 wickets in Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is). He accomplished this feat in a match against Bangladesh, where he dismissed Jaker Ali to secure his 100th T20I wicket. This remarkable achievement also makes him the second-fastest bowler in the world to reach 100 T20I wickets, achieving it in just 54 matches.
Only Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan has reached this milestone faster, taking just 53 matches. Following Lamichhane are Sri Lanka’s Wanindu Hasaranga and Pakistan’s Haris Rauf, who reached 100 wickets in 63 and 71 matches, respectively.
Lamichhane’s performance against Bangladesh, where he took two crucial wickets, was key to reaching this milestone. His T20I journey began in 2018 against the West Indies at Lords, playing for the ICC World XI. Despite a slow start, going wicketless in his debut, Lamichhane quickly climbed the ranks to become one of the top bowlers in the format.
Impressively, Lamichhane is also the fastest bowler to reach 100 ODI wickets, achieving this in just 42 matches, surpassing Rashid Khan’s record.
Lamichhane has found particular success against Malaysia, claiming 19 wickets in 9 matches, making them his most successful opponent. In contrast, South Africa and the West Indies are the only teams he has played against without taking a wicket.
Image: ICC, Getty