Nepali leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane said he was lost for words after getting an opportunity to play in the Australian Big Bash League (BBL)—a dream that the teen leg spin prodigy nurtured even before playing the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL).

Lamichhane was snapped up by Melbourne Stars in an amount which so far is the highest he will be earning in his globe-trotting journey that has guided him to professional Twenty20 Leagues across the world after making debut with the IPL for Delhi Daredevils franchise. “There are now words to describe this feeling. It is a dream come true because I always desired to play in the BBL. The condition is really going to be challenging for me while playing in Australia but its great when you learn that you are going to realise this dream,” Lamichhane said on Tuesday.

The Nepali nomadic cricketer had said his dream was to play in the BBL two years ago when quizzed by a reporter during his brief stint with Michael Clarke’s Western Suburbs in Australian Grade Cricket. A stint in the IPL came earlier for the teen bowler and seven months later Lamichhane will step into the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Although financial details of his stint with Stars are not disclosed, Lamichhane is expected to make around US $60,000, according to his manager Raman Shiwakoti. This will be the biggest amount for a single tournament for Lamichhane whose previous highest pay cheque was US $40,000 which he earned during the Global Twenty20 Challenge in Canada.

BBL is going to be the sixth professional Twenty20 league for Lamichhane who also featured for St Kitts & Nevis Patriots in the Caribbean Premier League and Nangarhar in the Afghanistan Premier League. While playing for Stars in the BBL, he will concurrently play for Sylhet Sixers in the Bangladesh Premier League.

BBL begins from December 19 and Lamichhane will be joining the Stars on the 10th. He will be making debut for Stars with the match against Sydney Thunder on December 21. He will then leave to play for Sixers in the BPL on January 5 before returning to Australia for rest of the BBL games.Lamichhane said he would like to keep his fairytale journey very simple. “I am hopeful that I can give good performance and make this opportunity count. There are too many talents in our country and hope it can open doors for other Nepali cricketers as well,” said Lamichhane lauding his mentor Michael Clarke who is attributed to have presented Twenty20 cricket’s most talked about name to the world. “The more I get indebted to him (Clarke), it is going to be less. I was just an ordinary Nepali cricketer when he nurtured me and gifted me with numerous opportunities taking me to Australia. He has helped me realise a dream that every Nepali has,” Lamichhane added.

Back home Lamichhane will now be playing the Pokhara Premier League (PPL), a newly-launched professional Twenty20 league of the country. Lamichhane, who is a marquee player with Biratnagar Titans in the PPL, wanted to remain grounded. “We have not been getting proper domestic cricket tournaments because of the absence of cricket governing body. Tournament like PPL is definitely going to provide exposure to many talents and this is where I have to make my presence felt,” he said.