Nepal’s star spinner Sandeep Lamichhane is at risk of missing the upcoming T20 World Cup in June after being rejected a US visa. Lamichhane, who was recently cleared of rape charges, was poised to join the team for Nepal’s first appearance in the historic ICC event.
Initially suspended from cricket due to the allegations, Lamichhane’s exoneration allowed him to make a comeback. The president of Cricket Nepal expressed hope of including Lamichhane in the T20 World Cup squad, citing the legal developments that led to his reinstatement.
“He has been cleared by the law, and we are pleased for him. We have lifted the suspension and have until the 25th to add him to the World Cup squad,” said Nepal board president Bahdur.
Despite the positive news, Lamichhane faced a setback when he revealed on Wednesday that the US Embassy had denied him a visa for the T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies. This rejection mirrored a similar incident in 2019 when he was unable to obtain a visa for the Caribbean Premier League.
Expressing his disappointment, Lamichhane 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.”
Nepal is in Group D with South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Netherlands for the T20 World Cup. While the team had already announced its squad, all participating nations have until May 25 to make any final adjustments.
