Sandeep Lamichhane denied visa for T20 World Cup by US embassy after Nepal cricketer was acquitted in rape case

Nepal’s leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane on Wednesday stated that the US embassy has denied him visa to travel with the national team for the upcoming T20 World Cup. This, a week after he was acquitted in a rape case by the Nepal High Court.

Lamichhane, who was proven innocent of charges in a case dating back to 2022 after he was accused of assault by an 18-year-old woman, took to his X account to concede the same. “And the @USEmbassyNepal did it again what they did back in 2019, they denied my Visa for the T-20 World Cup happening in USA and West Indies. Unfortunate. I am sorry to all the well wishers of Nepal Cricket,” he wrote.

The first-ever Nepal player to feature in the IPL, Lamichhane was on the road to a comeback to professional cricket following the court’s hearing ahead of the marquee tournament that will be co-hosted by the US and the West Indies in June.

Despite not having been picked in Nepal’s provisional squad named for the T20 World Cup, the verdict from the court last week meant that Lamichhane was eligible for making the final cut ahead of the competition when the final squads are named. A scenario that is currently under clouds.

After being sentenced to prison by the District Court earlier this year, and instructed to pay compensation to the alleged victim, the cricketer was granted bail of Rs 2 million, reversing the decision of the Kathmandu district court. The 23-year-old was also barred from leaving the country until the final verdict of the court in the case.

In February, the Scotland cricket team players had refused to shake Lamichhane’s hands after their 3-wicket loss to Nepal.

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The Scottish players shook hands with every Nepal player, except Lamichhane as part of a silent protest to the spinner’s continued presence and participation in the ICC’s Cricket World Cup League 2 series which also includes Namibia. Lamichhane had been made aware of the protest beforehand.

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