Nepal’s star leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane has been acquitted of rape by the Patan High Court, paving the way for his immediate return to cricket — and possibly a spot in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup.
Following the verdict, the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that Lamichhane would be eligible for selection, pending International Cricket Council (ICC) clearance. All 20 participating nations have until May 25 to finalise their 15-player squads for the tournament, set to take place in the West Indies and USA from June 1 to 29.
“Since the High Court has cleared Sandeep Lamichhane from all the allegations, he is now cleared to play all forms of cricket,” a CAN spokesperson stated.
Nepal’s provisional squad is currently training in St Vincent and will travel to the USA ahead of their opening match against the Netherlands on June 4 in Dallas.
Court Overturns Earlier Conviction
Tirtharaj Bhattarai, spokesperson for the Patan High Court, told The Kathmandu Post that Lamichhane was cleared due to a “lack of evidence.”
In January this year, a single-judge bench of the Kathmandu District Court had found the former Nepal captain guilty of raping an 18-year-old woman, sentencing him to eight years in prison. The ruling also included a fine of around USD 2,255 and compensation of approximately USD 1,500 to the complainant. The next day, CAN suspended Lamichhane from all cricketing activities.
Timeline of the Case
The case began in September 2022 when an arrest warrant was issued while Lamichhane was in the West Indies playing for the Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). He left the CPL immediately and was taken into custody upon arrival in Kathmandu the following month.
Lamichhane made a controversial return to the national side in February 2023 during a Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series against Namibia and Scotland, facing criticism from rights groups. He later featured in the ODI World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe and the Asia Cup.
Earlier this month, Lamichhane filed an appeal against his prison sentence and was granted permission to remain out of custody during the proceedings, culminating in his acquittal.
