Nepali cricket star Sandeep Lamichhane faces another hurdle in his bid to play in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. Lamichhane was previously cleared of rape charges and reinstated to the national team. However, his hopes of joining the squad in the USA have been dashed as he has been denied the US visa. The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) had earlier expressed confidence in including Lamichhane in the World Cup squad. However, with this latest development, his participation remains uncertain.
Lamichhane's T20 World Cup participation uncertain
Nepali cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane faced a legal case and was initially suspended from cricket. Following the resolution of the case, he was cleared to play again. The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) previously expressed their intention to include Lamichhane in the T20 World Cup squad. However, his recent visa denial by the US Embassy casts doubt on his participation in the tournament.
"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," Nepal board president Chatur Bahadur Chand had earlier said.
"I will talk to the selection committee and will also write to the ICC. After taking permission from the technical committee, we will add him to the squad. I am trying my best; let's hope for the best," he added.
Lamichhane tweets visa denial for T20 World Cup
Lamichhane took to Twitter (previously known as X) on Wednesday, May 22 to announce that his visa application for the T20 World Cup 2024 was denied by the US Embassy in Nepal. Lamichhane also mentioned a prior visa denial for the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
"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," said Lamichhane.
Nepal has been drawn into a challenging Group D for the upcoming T20 World Cup, co-hosted by the USA and the West Indies. They'll face tough competition from cricketing giants like South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, and then with the Netherlands. While Nepal has already announced their squad, all teams have the flexibility to make changes until May 25. This could be crucial for Nepal as they navigate the complexities surrounding Sandeep Lamichhane's visa situation.
Nepal's T20 World Cup squad
Rohit Paudel (c), Aasif Sheikh, Anil Kumar Sah, Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Lalit Rajbanshi, Karan KC, Gulshan Jha, Sompal Kami, Pratis GC, Sundeep Jora, Abinash Bohara, Sagar Dhakal, Kamal Singh Airee
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