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Stars add Nepal spinner for BBL|08

The talented Sandeep Lamichhane will join the Stars after impressing in the IPL with the Delhi Daredevils

Nepal leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane will have his dream come true this summer when he plays in the KFC Big Bash League with the Melbourne Stars.

Lamichhane was one of two international players announced by the Stars on Tuesday, with England leggie Matt Parkinson also set to feature during BBL|08.


But it's Lamichhane who is sure to gain the most attention, with the 18-year-old having already struck up a relationship with former Australia captain Michael Clarke and impressed during a stint in the Indian Premier League.

Lamichhane played with Clarke in Hong Kong in 2016, before joining his mentor in Sydney Premier Cricket later that year.

Clarke discusses grade return and young leggie

The teenager boldly declared his dream was 'to play Big Bash' and that will come to fruition this summer when he turns out for the Stars.

"I am delighted to be joining the Stars, it has always been a dream to play on the MCG. I am very excited to join the team," Lamichhane said.

Lamichhane has already impressed in various T20 competitions around the world, having featured in the IPL for the Delhi Daredevils earlier this year and during stints in the Caribbean Premier League, Global T20 Canada and the Bangladesh Premier League.

Melbourne Stars list manager Trent Woodhill first saw Lamichhane bowl while playing for Nepal in the Asian U19 Championships and kept a close eye on him while he played alongside Stars teammate Glenn Maxwell in the IPL.

"Lamichhane had a successful IPL debut for Delhi and bowled well in the CPL," Woodhill said.

"We have high expectations that he will light up the BBL and become a star of the tournament." 

Lamichhane will be with the Stars from the start of the Big Bash tournament, but is likely to miss much of January due to commitments with the Sylhet Sixers in the BPL.

Parkinson will fill in for Lamichhane while the Nepalese youngster is away, but it is likely he will return in time for the final three games of the regular season and any finals matches.

Parkinson is a promising leg-spinner with English county side Lancashire, and earlier this year he featured for the England Lions against West Indies A and India A.

Another international player is likely to be signed by the Stars prior to the start of BBL|08.

Current squad: Michael Beer, Scott Boland, Jackson Coleman, Travis Dean, Ben Dunk, Seb Gotch, Sandeep Lamichhane (NEP), Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Daniel Worrall, Adam Zampa, Matt Parkinson (ENG, international replacement)
In: Travis Dean (Renegades replacement), Sandeep Lamichhane (Nepal), Nic Maddinson (Sixers).
Out: James Faulkner (Hurricanes), John Hastings (Sixers), Kevin Pietersen (retired), Rob Quiney (retired), Luke Wright.
Roster spots to fill: six
Internationals signed: one