Nepal initially aimed to include former captain Sandeep Lamichhane, whose eight-year rape sentence was overturned on appeal. However, even with strong support, his US visa was denied two times.
Sandeep Lamichhane will join Nepal’s T20 World Cup team in the West Indies after his visa was denied for matches in the United States, as stated by the cricket association on Monday.
Nepal had initially planned to include Lamichhane, a former captain whose eight-year rape conviction was overturned, but his US visa was rejected twice despite intense efforts. The T20 World Cup is co-hosted by the United States and West Indies.
“Nepali player Sandeep Lamichhane will travel to the West Indies for the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup and join the Nepali national cricket team,” stated association secretary Paras Khadka.
Spin bowler Lamichhane, aged 23, was previously a prominent figure in Nepal’s cricket scene but faced conviction for raping a young woman at a Kathmandu hotel in 2022. However, that conviction was overturned last month.
“I am now joining the national team for the last two matches in the West Indies and looking forward to fulfilling my dreams and the dream of all cricket lovers,” Lamichhane posted on X, formerly Twitter.
“To all our cricket fans and people back home everywhere who prayed for me, I will forever be grateful for your blessings.”
His announcement on social media was well-received by fans, who flooded the comments with messages of congratulations. In their World Cup opener, Nepal suffered a six-wicket defeat against the Netherlands.
They will face Sri Lanka in Florida on Wednesday, followed by group matches against South Africa and Bangladesh in the West Indies. Prior to his rape trial, Lamichhane’s achievements as a leg-spinner significantly raised the profile of cricket in the Himalayan republic.
Sandeep Lamichhane was arrested in 2022
In 2022, when an arrest warrant was initially issued, Lamichhane initially did not return from Jamaica, where he was participating in the Caribbean Premier League. He was stripped of his role as national captain and apprehended, but Nepal revoked his playing suspension when he was released on bail.
This enabled him to continue playing, including participating in last year’s Asia Cup in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, until he was convicted in January. The conviction was overturned in mid-May.
Cricket in Nepal doesn’t receive the same level of attention as it does in other parts of South Asia. However, the sport has been gaining popularity, with Nepal granted one-day international status by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 2018.
Lamichhane played a significant role in Nepal’s ascent as the most sought-after Nepali cricketer in lucrative T20 leagues worldwide. His breakthrough came when he was signed by the Indian Premier League, the world’s wealthiest cricket competition, in 2018.
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