After being acquitted in a rape case, Sandeep Lamichhane was included in the World Cup squad by the Nepal Cricket Association. However, the United States, one of the hosts of the tournament, has denied a visa to this leg-spinner.
Lamichhane shared on social media platform X about not receiving the U.S. visa. He wrote, “And the U.S. Embassy in Nepal did it again, just like in 2019. They have rejected my visa for the T20 World Cup to be held in the United States and West Indies.
It’s unfortunate. I apologize to the well-wishers of Nepal cricket.” In 2019, Lamichhane was also denied a U.S. visa when he applied to play in the Caribbean Premier League. Five years later, his visa application has been rejected once again.
In 2022, Lamichhane was arrested on charges of raping a minor girl in a hotel in Kathmandu. In January of this year, he was found guilty in the rape case and sentenced to eight years in prison.
However, after challenging the verdict, he was released from jail. Subsequently, he was included in the Nepal team. But now, his participation in the World Cup has become uncertain.
Meanwhile, the Nepal team has already left for a preparatory camp in Saint Vincent. They are scheduled to go to the United States before the tournament begins.
Nepal’s first match is against the Netherlands on June 4 in Dallas. In Group D, Nepal is alongside Bangladesh, the Netherlands, Sri Lanka, and South Africa.
