Sandeep Lamichhane, the Nepalese leg spinner, has had his rape conviction overturned by Nepal’s highest court. The verdict, delivered on May 15, cleared Sandeep Lamichhane of all charges. Sandeep Lamichhane, is a leg-spinner, a shining star in Nepalese cricket. Lamichhane’s early cricketing journey was remarkable. He etched his name in history by becoming the first cricketer to debut in a Twenty20 International for a combined World XI team.
Sandeep quickly emerged as a vital player for Nepal, becoming their leading wicket-taker in both One Day Internationals (ODIs) and T20Is. His exceptional bowling talent attracted top T20 franchises worldwide. He secured contracts with the Delhi Capitals in the IPL, the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League, and even the Lahore Qalandars in the Pakistan Super League. He was even entrusted with the captaincy of the Nepal national team in 2021.
However, in late 2023, Lamichhane’s career took a dramatic plunge. He faced serious allegations off the field, leading to his suspension from cricket. The situation further worsened in early 2024 with his conviction. These events have cast a dark cloud over his once-promising cricketing career.
Court Verdict
Reports indicate that the Patan High Court acquitted Nepal cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane in the rape case, overturning the Kathmandu District Court’s eight-year jail sentence handed down in January.
Senior advocates Ram Narayan Bidari, Raman Shrestha, Shambu Thapa, Murari Sapkota, and Krishna Sapkota presented their case on behalf of cricketer Lamichhane, challenging the Kathmandu District Court’s verdict convicting him in a rape case.
The proceedings, which began on Tuesday and extended into Wednesday, ultimately favoured the 23-year-old cricketer.
Local media reports state that the court declared Lamichhane innocent of the rape accusation involving a woman identified as Gushala-26, allegedly occurring in a hotel in Tilganga on August 21, 2022.
Moving Ahead for Sandeep Lamichhane
Now that Sandeep Lamichhane has been acquitted of all charges, he is eligible to be considered for selection in the T20 World Cup squad. Although Nepal has already unveiled its 15-player squad under the leadership of Rohit Paudel, the ICC’s rule permitting teams to make adjustments to their squad until May 25 suggests that Lamichhane could potentially be included.
Having played 52 T20I matches for Nepal and claiming 98 wickets, Sandeep will play a pivotal role in Nepal’s T20 World Cup journey, starting with their match against The Netherlands on June 4 at Texan.
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