Nepal's Sandeep Lamichhane turns 'Gully Boy' in tennis ball cricket match

The Nepal leg-spinner cannot stop playing cricket, be it for country, franchise and on the roadside

Nepal leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane simply loves playing cricket whatever the level might be. Chris Whiteoak / The National

At 18, Sandeep Lamichhane is already one of the most sought-after cricketers in the world. But even as his stock continues to rise, the leg-spinner has clearly not forgotten his roots.

The Nepal international, who recently returned home after doing his part to send Delhi Daredevils to the Indian Premier League play-offs for the first time in seven years, joined a group of boys playing cricket at the Tinkune Ground in Kathmandu. Lamichhane tweeted about it later, suggesting it was a spur-of-the-moment decision to play ball.

And it looks like he had loads of fun.

What is, perhaps, pleasantly surprising about this story is Lamichhane's continued enthusiasm to pick up a bat or a ball despite having played so much cricket during the course of the year past.

He was in action in four competitions in the UAE alone, including three franchise tournaments: Afghanistan Premier League, T10 League and Pakistan Super League. He  spun Nepal to T20 and ODI series wins against the UAE in Dubai. His global tour has also taken him to the Caribbean, Australia, Malaysia, Canada, Namibia and elsewhere during this period of time.

Anybody looking for inspiration on a Friday need only read this story to find out one of the secrets of success: a passion for what one chooses to do in life. Here's hoping Lamichhane keeps at it for as long as possible.