Nepal cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane has been denied USA visa to participate in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 by the US Embassy in Nepal.
Sandeep Lamichhane is expected to feature in the 2024 T20 World Cup set to be featured in the West Indies and USA. A Nepal cricketer, who was recently acquitted from the rape case by the Patan high court should be back to business for his nation.
Even though his physical and mental stability remains a question, it should be the decision from the management.
With much expectations around the right-hander, Lamichhane’s USA Visa denial left his fans heartbroken. This is not the first time, he has faced this kind of treatment from the US Embassy back in 2019 also where he was denied visa to participate in the CPL 2019.
The Syangja-born bowler made his issue public via a Tweet on his official X handle. He wrote “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. @USAmbNepal @CricketNep”.
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. @USAmbNepal @CricketNep. https://t.co/xdBhaY6G91
— Sandeep Lamichhane (@Sandeep25) May 22, 2024
Sandeep Lamichhane played 52 T20I matches for Nepal bagged 98 wickets and is on the verge of reaching the triple-digit wicket count. His 98 wickets also include one five-wicket haul.
Nepal will begin their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign with a match against the Netherlands on June 4 in Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas.
Sandeep Lamichhane Rape Case Timeline
- On 6 September 2022 – A police complaint was filed by an alleged minor accusing Lamichhane of raping her on the night of 21 August in a hotel room in Kathmandu.
- On 8 September 2022 – Kathmandu District Court authorised the arrest of Lamichhane for further investigation.
- On 6 October 2022 – Lamichhane turned himself into the Nepal Police and was taken into custody.
- On 2 January 2023 – Responding to a review petition filed by Lamichhane, a joint bench of judges Dhruva Raj Nanda and Ramesh Dahal from the Patan High Court ordered his release on bail of Rs. 2 million
- On 29 December 2023 – The Kathmandu District Court, presided over by Judge Shishir Raj Dhakal, convicted Lamichhane of raping the girl, referred to as ‘Gaushala 26’, by taking advantage of her financial condition.
- On January 10 2024 – The bench sentenced Lamichhane to eight years in prison and fined him Rs 300,000. It also ordered him to pay a compensation of Rs 200,000 to the victim.
- On February 22 2024 – The high court allowed him to appeal against the district court’s verdict staying out of jail.
- On March 12 2024 – The High Court Government Attorney Office appealed the verdict at the Patan High Court, seeking maximum punishment against Lamichhane. The appeal was registered a day later.
- On May 15 2024 – Sandeep Lamichhane was found not guilty and was released by the Patan High Court.
