Nepal Police have initiated an investigation against the captain of the national cricket team Sandeep Lamichhane in an alleged case of raping a minor.

Also Read: Asia Cup 2022: How India Can Still Qualify For Asia Cup Final

This comes after a 17-year-old girl filed a complaint at Gaushala Metropolitan Police Circle against Lamichhane claiming that she was raped twice. Police in a statement on Wednesday stated that the crime was committed on August 21.

Bharat Bahadur Bohora, the chief of the Kathmandu district police range, said that the police circle in Gaushala in the city registered the complaint on Wednesday.

"The police are sensitive to such serious incidents. We have made the supposed survivor undergo a health checkup and launched an investigation."

said Rabindra Prasad Dhanuk, the Kathmandu Valley Police Office chief

The teenage girl said that she was a fan of the cricketer. Moreover, she also revealed that she used to talk to him via WhatsApp and Snapchat. She says it was Lamichhane who first proposed a meeting.

Read Also: Legends League Cricket 2022: Full Squads, Schedule, Where to Watch, Live Stream

Last year, leg spinner Lamichhane was appointed as the captain of the Nepal cricket team.

Lamichhane formerly captained the Nepal Under-19 side first in 2016 during the Asia Cup. Meanwhile, then he captained Nepal in 2017 for the Asian Cricket Council World Cup Qualifier. He has also played in the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he played for Delhi Capitals (DC).

Vaibhav Suryavanshi just broke the record for being the youngest ever IPL debutant at the age of 14 years and 23 days. The young left-handed batter created the record when he came as an impact player for the Rajasthan Royals against Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025. With this, he became the 10th player to make an IPL debut before turning 18. 

Who was the first player to make an IPL debut before turning 18?

Pradeep Sangwan, at the age of 17 years, 179 days, became the first ever player in IPL to make a debut before turning 18. The left-arm pacer was fresh from the U-19 World Cup victory under Virat Kohli.

Sangwan made his IPL debut for Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) in the inaugural season in 2008. 

Who is the youngest player ever in IPL history?

Vaibhav Suryavanshi is now the youngest player ever in IPL history. He made his debut for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025 against Lucknow Super Giants at the age of 14 years and 23 days old. He broke the record of Prayas Ray Barman, who held the record for becoming the youngest IPL debutant for a long time.

Read Also | Exclusive | "He has the intent to play at the highest level," Bihar head coach on Vaibhav Suryavanshi

Players to make IPL debut before turning 18

Till now, 10 players have made their IPL debut before turning 18. Here are all the teenage sensations who made their IPL debut even before earning their voter card. Interestingly, all the players on this list are Indian.

1. Pradeep Sangwan (17 years, 179 days, DD (now DC), 2008)

The left-arm pacer from Delhi was the first player ever in Indian Premier League history to make his debut before turning 18. After a sensational ICC Men's U-19 World Cup 2008, Delhi Daredevils gave him a contract. Sangwan made his debut at the age of 17 years, 179 days and has played 42 IPL games since then, taking only 38 wickets. 

Read Also | IPL records: 5 youngest centurion in IPL

2. Sarfaraz Khan (17 years, 177 days, RCB, 2015)

Sarfraz Khan became one of the talking points of IPL 2015 when he made his IPL debut for Royal Challengers Bangalore at the age of 17 years, 177 days. His incredible debut against Chennai Super Kings even made Virat Kohli bow down to him, after he scored a quick 11 from 7 balls at the fag end of the inning. 

3. Rahul Chahar (17y 247d, RPS, 2017)

After a good Vijay Hazare Trophy in the 2016-17 season, Rahul Chahar was bought by Rising Pune Supergiant for 10 lakhs and was handed a debut for them at the age of 17y 247d. The leg spinner, though, got his success playing for the Mumbai Indians after joining them in 2018. 

Read Also | "Everything was too early for me; I have learned from the mistakes and am ready for that level now:" Prayas Ray Barman on his career after IPL

Other players who made their IPL debut before turning 18

1. Washington Sundar (17 years, 199 days, RPS, 2017)
2. Mujeeb Ur Rahman (17 years 11 days, KXIP (now PBKS), 2018)
3. Abhishek Sharma (17y 250d, DD (now DC), 2018)
4. Sandeep Lamichhane (17y 283d, DD (now DC), 2018)
5. Riyan Parag (17 years, 152 days, RR, 2019)
6. Prayas Ray Barman (16 years and 157 days, RCB, 2019)
7. Vaibhav Suryavanshi (14 years and 23 days, RR, 2025)

You can now play this IPL quiz to check if you remember all the names accurately or not. 

Bowlers play a significant role in winning or losing the game. Taking the fastest 100 wickets in an ODI or One Day International is one of the most huge achievements of any bowler. It's time We enlist a list of the top 10 players who took the fastest 100 ODI wickets.

Also Read: India vs England: Virat Kohli, Joe Root and Ben Stokes out for duck!

Top 5 Players to Take the Fastest 100 ODI Wickets

1. Sandeep Lamichhane | Nepal | 42 matches

Sandeep Lamichhane holds the record for the fastest bowler in the history of One Day International (ODI) Cricket to complete 100 wickets. He reached the milestone in just 42 matches during the match against Oman (Nepal's 50th ODI match) in the ACC Premier Cup.

2. Rashid Khan | Afghanistan | 44 matches

Rashid Khan is second on the list of the top 10 fastest bowlers to take 100 ODI wickets. It took him only 44 matches to achieve this milestone. Currently, he is one of the best leg spinners in both the formats - T20 and ODI. The Afghan spinner has been an exceptional bowler for his side. Within a short period, he proved his bowling skills in International Cricket.

3. Shaheen Afridi | Pakistan | 51 matches

Shaheen Shah Afridi became the fastest Pakistani bowler to claim 100 ODI wickets. He achieved this feat in the 51st match during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 match against Bangladesh in Kolkata. He is also the fastest pacer to achieve that feat. Afridi has been one of the most key players in Pakistan's lineup and currently leading the bowling attack.

4. Mitchell Starc | Australia | 52 matches

Mitchell Starc is one of the best fast bowlers in all the formats of the cricket game. He is the fourth-fastest player to get the 100 wickets in ODI, and it took him only 52 matches to achieve it. He joined the fastest 100 ODI wickets group on 21 August 2016 against Sri Lanka. In the 52nd match, he superseded Saqlain Mushtaq's 19-year-old record of taking the fastest hundred wickets in ODI. But Shaheen Afridi, Rashid Khan and Sandeep Lamichhane ultimately surpassed him.

5. Saqlain Mushtaq | Pakistan | 53 matches

Saqlain Mushtaq revolutionised off-spin in the modern era. Pakistan is known for its fast bowlers, but Saqlain Mushtaq became the finest spinner in the Pakistan cricket team. He is best known for his signature bowling delivery doosra. Saqlain took the fastest 100 ODI wickets in his 53rd match and came fifth in the list of fastest to take 100 ODI wickets.

Pakistan will take on Nepal in the first match of the Asia Cup 2023 on Wednesday (August 30). Pakistan will host four matches and nine matches will be played in Sri Lanka. Except for India, the rest of the five teams will play games in Pakistan. This will also be the first time Nepal will be participating in the Continental Cup.

Pakistan warmed for the Asia Cup by defeating Afghanistan 3-0 in the ODI series. Shaheen Afridi, Babar Azam, Haris Rauf, and Shadab Khan performed well and won some close matches. Both sides will aim to kickstart their campaign with a win before going forward.

Read Also: Asia Cup 2023: Squads of all the teams

Asia Cup 2023: Pakistan vs Nepal Match Preview

Match Details

• Match: Pakistan vs Nepal
• Date: 30/08/2023
• Time: 3:00 PM (IST)
• Venue: Multan Cricket Stadium, Pakistan
• Where to watch: Star Sports Network & Disney + Hotstar

Venue | Pitch Report | Weather

The Multan Cricket Stadium is a batting-friendly surface and is expected to assist the batters. Pacers might get some help towards the latter half of the match while spinners may come in handy in the middle overs. Reverse swing might also disturb the batters, so they need to keep an eye on the ball. Teams winning the toss might choose to chase the total, with the average first innings total being 239. 

Multan Cricket Stadium:

• Total ODI Matches: 10
• Matches won batting first: 5
• Matches won bowling first: 5
• Average first innings score: 254
• Average second innings score: 206
• Highest total scored: 323/3 by Pakistan vs Bangladesh
• Highest score chased: 306/5 by Pakistan vs West Indies

Pakistan vs Nepal | Head-to-Head

Asia Cup 2023: Pakistan vs Nepal | Team News

Pakistan

Pakistan announced their playing XI on Tuesday. They picked three fast bowlers - Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, and Haris Rauf and two spin-bowling allrounders - Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz. Faheem Ashraf and Mohammad Wasim are not included in the playing XI, who took a four-wicket haul for Pakistan A against Nepal during the Emerging Cup in July. Pakistan are beginning to put together a promising ODI middle order, and a lot of the credit for this must go to Agha Salman, who has a 40-plus average and a 100-plus strike rate after his first 14 games. He will be a key player for Pakistan in the Asia Cup 2023 and the upcoming World Cup 2023.

Nepal

After winning the ODI status in 2018, Nepal are now ranked 15th in the format. They are so close to achieving even bigger dreams given that the next ODI World Cup, in 2027, will feature 14 teams. Sompal Kami's participation in the World Cup qualifier was cut short by a hand injury. He sustained that injury during Nepal's match against Zimbabwe. He will make his ODI return and lead their pace attack alongside Karan KC. Dipendra Singh Airee comes into the Asia Cup with a fair amount of confidence behind him. The middle-order batter impressed at the World Cup qualifier in Zimbabwe in July.

Pakistan vs Nepal | Possible XI

Pakistan:

• FK Zaman
• Babar Azam (C)
• IU Haq
• SH Khan
• Iftikhar Ahmed
• Mohammad Nawaz
• Mohammad Rizwan (wk)
• S Afridi
• Haris Rauf
• Naseem Shah
• Usama Mir

Nepal:

• Aarif Sheikh
• B Sharki
• Rohit Kumar Paudel (C)
• K Bhurtel
• Dipendra Singh Airee
• Kushal Malla
• Arjun Saud (wk)
• Lalit Rajbanshi
• Gulshan Kumar Jha
• Sandeep Lamichhane
• K Mahato

Asia Cup 2023: Pakistan vs Nepal | Dream XI Team Prediction

The Kathmandu District Court on Friday ordered Nepal's star cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane to be sent to judicial custody until the final hearing over the case of rape of a minor which has been pressed against him.

Also Read: Cricket Association of Nepal Suspends Sandeep Lamichhane after Arrest Warrant issued against him for Raping Minor

The court decided to remand Lamichhane in custody until the final verdict over the case lodged against him. The former Nepali national cricket team captain is facing a charge of raping a minor. However, the preliminary hearing over the case comes after the completion of the bail hearing at the Kathmandu District Court.

"Until the final verdict, the star cricketer would be kept in Central Jail," Sundara, Dineshraj Mainali, Superintendent of Police at District Police Range, Kathmandu confirmed ANI over the phone.

The police in the filed complaint have demanded 12 years sentence against Lamichhane over the case filed against Lamichhane. But, Lamichhane, from the first day, has been pleading innocent stating this a ploy to defame him and affect his rising career.

On September 6, a 17-year-old girl files a complaint against the then-captain of the Nepal national cricket team, Sandeep Lamichhane, accusing him of raping her. Two days after the formal complaint, the Kathmandu police receive an arrest warrant against him.

On the same day, the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) suspends Lamichhane from the team. The following day, Lamichhane announces to leaves his CPL team and would return home soon.

The Police and Govt. demanded a jail sentence of 10 to 12 years, against Sandeep Lamichhane

On September 11, the Department of Immigration blacklists rape-accused cricket star Sandeep Lamichhane so that the police can arrest him as soon as he enters the country. After nearly two weeks of silence on September 25, the rape-accused team captain says he is in isolation to deal with stress but will return to defend the case.

The following day, Nepal Police circulates a diffusion notice among all Interpol members, seeking help to arrest him. On October 6 Lamichhane arrives in Nepal to get arrested.

Read Also: Cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane lands in Kathmandu. Police arrest him at the airport

On October 10, Lamichhane gets remanded for seven days to let the police continue the investigation. Two days later the court again extends the remand by five days. The order gets extended by four days again on October 19. Again, the remand is extended by two days on October 23.

Later, the government attorney's office files a lawsuit, demanding a jail sentence of 10 to 12 years, against Sandeep Lamichhane.

Former Nepal cricket team captain Sandeep Lamichhane has been arrested from Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. He is accused of raping a 17-year-old girl.

Also read: Cricket Association of Nepal Suspends Sandeep Lamichhane after Arrest Warrant issued against him for Raping Minor

Lamichhane had earlier called all the allegations baseless in the case of raping a minor girl. But later he agreed to surrender. After being accused of rape, Sandeep had left Nepal and the police was looking for him. He later said that he was ready to surrender and would return to the country on October 6.

In his clarification, Lamichhane wrote on Facebook, "As per my sincere commitment to submit myself to the authority of Nepal, I am landing at 10:00 am from Qatar Airways in the Tribhuvan International Airport at Kathmandu,"

The Nepal Police had sought Interpol's help after they could not traced Sandeep's whereabouts. On the request of Nepal Police, Interpol issued a 'diffusion' notice against former Nepal national cricket team captain Sandeep Lamichhane. A Nepali court had on September 8 issued a warrant for Lamichhane's arrest for raping a 17-year-old girl.

In an FIR lodged with the Gaushala Mahanagar Police Circle, the teenage girl alleged that Lamichhane raped her in a hotel. Sandeep allegedly took the girl to various places in Kathmandu and Bhaktapur on August 21. He raped her the same night in a hotel in Kathmandu. Sandeep Lamichhane is the first player from Nepal to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He made headlines in 2018 by making his debut for the Delhi Capitals franchise.

Also read: Nepal cricket team captain Sandeep Lamichhane faces rape accusations

Recently, Kathmandu Police Dinesh Mainali had told that the district court had issued an arrest warrant against Sandeep for further investigation. The police had said on Wednesday that if Sandeep is not in Nepal, then the Kathmandu police will take the help of foreign agencies or Interpol. Nepal's cricket board made Sandeep captain last year.