Nepali cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane denied US visa for T-20 World Cup

The US Embassy has denied Nepali cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane a visa to participate in the T-20 World Cup 2024 tournament. He stated that the US has refused him a visa for the upcoming T-20 tournament. It will begin on June 1, 2024, in the United States.

It is significant t note that the Patna High Court cleared Sandeep in the rape case earlier this month. A two-judge bench reversed the ruling of Kathmandu District Court to sentence Sandeep to eight years in prison.

The two-bench judges dismissed the Kathmandu Court’s decision due to insufficient evidence against Sandeep. Following this decision, the President of Cricket Nepal, Chatur Bahadur, vowed to take all necessary steps to ensure that Sandeep gets selected for Nepal’s squad to compete in their first-ever World Cup.

*Patna High Court acquitted Sandeep Lamichhane in rape case due to lack of evidence*

Chatur stated they are happy for Sandeep since the law freed him on May 15, 2024. The higher court released him after the lesser courts sentenced him to imprisonment. They have also lifted his suspension. They still have till the 25th to include him in the World Cup 2024 squad.

However, today all scenarios changed with the tweet of Nepali cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane who revealed that the US Embassy in Nepal has denied him a visa, just like they did in 2019.

Sandeep also apologized to all Nepali supporters for being unable to attend the T-20 2024 World Cup tournament. According to media reports, the US embassy has rejected his visa due to rape charges against him in 2022.

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

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Sandeep faced conviction of raping an 18-year-old woman in a Kathmandu hotel in 2022. Police had also arrested him after issuing an arrest warrant against him on rape charges.

Afterward, he was released on bail and returned to the Nepal Cricket Team to compete in International tournaments. But the court found him guilty after a repeatedly delayed trial.

Meanwhile, Nepal Cricket suspended him as the team’s captain but allowed him to continue his cricket career at the national level only. The last time Sandeep represented Nepal against Kenya in a Twenty International match was in 2023.