Nepal’s star spinner Sandeep Lamichhane has been denied a visa by the USA for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Star spinner Sandeep Lamichhane from Nepal has been denied a visa to the USA for the upcoming T20 World Cup. At 23 years old, Lamichhane recently overcame a prolonged legal battle against rape charges, with the Supreme Court clearing him, allowing him to potentially join Nepal’s team for the major tournament starting on June 1. Following the accusations, he was initially suspended from all cricket activities, but the court’s ruling permitted his return to the sport.
Nepal Cricket President, Chatur Bahadur Chand, had previously assured that the board would do everything possible to ensure Lamichhane’s participation in the T20 World Cup. Chand mentioned that the team has until May 25 to make any necessary changes to their roster and would take the required steps to include the spinner in the 15-member squad.
It seems probable that Sandeep Lamichhane will be included in Nepal’s squad. However, even if he secures a spot in the 15-member team, it is highly unlikely that he will be able to participate in at least the first two matches for Nepal.
“He has been set free by the law, and we are happy for him. He was sentenced to jail by the lower courts, but today the high court set him free. We have removed the suspension as well, and we have time until the 25th to include him in the World Cup squad,” Chand said.
On May 22, Lamichhane tweeted to highlight that he has not been granted a visa to travel to the USA. The cricketer mentioned that a similar issue occurred in 2019 when he was denied a visa to participate in the Caribbean Premier League. Additionally, he apologized to all the supporters of Nepal Cricket.
“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,” Lamichhane wrote on his X profile.
Interestingly, Nepal finds itself in a group alongside Bangladesh, the Netherlands, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. Nepal’s T20 World Cup journey kicks off on June 4 in Dallas, where they will face Bangladesh. Following this, they will meet Sri Lanka in Florida. After these initial matches in the USA, Nepal will head to Kingstown for their final two group stage encounters.
