Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichhane played his first match for Delhi Capitals in this season’s Indian Premier League playing against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium in New Delhi on Saturday.

After spending the first two matches in the dug out, Lamichhane finally ended the anxious wait for Nepali cricket fans, and probably himself, earlier than he had done the previous season.

It was, however, a mixed day for the leggie after he picked up a wicket but in the process was hit for 29 runs. After conceding just a single in his first over and Capitals’ second, Lamichhane struck in his second with a leg before wicket dismissal of Nikhil Naik. He ended up conceding six runs in the second over after Robin Uthappa hit the bowler at cover-point.

Capitals skipper Shreyas Iyer brought back Lamichhane in the 10th and the move paid dividend as the franchise managed to run Shubman Gill out in the first ball. West Indian juggernaut Andre Russell and Indian batsman Dinesh Karthik could only manage five runs in the over. Lamichhane was going well at four runs per over before Russell displayed his strength in the last over.

The right-hander smashed Lamichhane for two big sixes in the last two deliveries of in an over where Sandeep conceded 17 runs.

The second edition of the IPL is a full circle in Lamichhane’s globetrotting cricketing career in which he competed in six global franchise compeititons in a span of less than one year.

Although Lamichhane featured in the last three games for Capitals last season, he was expected to be the first choice for Ricky Ponting’s side this time following his impressive performance through the world.

Capitals, however, opted to keep Lamichhane in the bench, a move that left his fans fuming and cricket pundits surprised. Lamichhane had already impressed in his IPL debut picking up five wickets in the last three matches he had played for the Capitals last season.