Worcestershire sign Ish Sodhi as Blast replacement for Sandeep Lamichhane

Sodhi's arrival follows the news that Nepal star Lamichhane had been ruled out due to visa and passport issues

Worcestershire have made a late change to their T20 Blast squad for this season, signing Ish Sodhi as their second overseas player to replace Sandeep Lamichhane.

The New Zealand leg-spinner is set to be available for the entire group stage; his arrival follows the news that Nepal star Lamichhane had been ruled out due to visa and passport issues.

Sodhi, 28, has played in the Indian Premier League, Big Bash and Caribbean Premier League, as well as having previously turned out for Nottinghamshire in 2017 and 2018.

Worcestershire head coach Alex Gidman said: “It is a really good signing for us, a high class international player of the same skillset (a spinner) that we wanted to bring in as one of our overseas players for the Blast.

“Ish has vast experience in T20 cricket and the fact he has already played in the Blast is an added bonus and I’m sure he will become a popular member of the group. It is also good that he can get here so quickly, once we made it known we wanted to sign him.”

Sodhi has represented New Zealand in 17 Tests, 33 ODIs and 57 T20Is, at one stage holding top-spot in the ICC’s T20I bowling rankings.

He will join Australian left-arm seamer Ben Dwarshuis, the county’s other overseas player for the tournament that Worcestershire won in 2018.