Sandeep Lamichhane Suspended By Cricket Nepal From All Forms Of Cricket After Conviction In Rape Case

Former Nepal skipper Sandeep Lamichhane has been suspended by the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) from domestic and international cricket after he was convicted of raping a young woman. The Kathmandu District Court’s bench led by Shishir Raj Dhakal delivered a judgment that has sent shockwaves through the entire cricketing community, sentencing the 23-year-old spinner to an eight-year prison term for the sexual assault of a minor girl.

The legal repercussions for Sandeep Lamichhane are huge as he faces a financial penalty of Rs 3,00,000 and has been asked to compensate the victim by paying her an amount of Rs 2,00,000. In the wake of the court’s ruling, Sandeep Lamichhane’s legal representative Saroj Ghimire has said that they will challenge the verdict in a higher court as per the reports of ‘The Kathmandu Post’.

On August 21, 2022, Sandeep Lamichhane allegedly assaulted the minor in a Tilganga-based hotel after which a case was filed by the victim on September 6, 2022. After 15 months of the date when the case was lodged, Sandeep Lamichhane has been sentenced to eight years in prison. However, it is still to be determined whether the victim was a minor at the time of the assault or not because the documents presented before the court regarding her age were riddled and the court has currently ruled that she was not a minor.

The verdict came into the limelight on Wednesday and by the following day, CAN took swift action announcing the suspension of Sandeep Lamichhane from international and domestic cricket activities. ”We inform you that Sandeep Lamichhane has been suspended from any kind of domestic and international cricket activities as he has been convicted and sentenced,” the CAN stated on their ‘X’ account.

Sandeep Lamichhane Was Suspended From Captaincy Last September

Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) suspends former captain Sandeep Lamichhane from domestic and international cricket after he was convicted of rape.

— Cricket Nepal (@NepalCricket) January 11, 2024

Previously, in September, an arrest warrant was issued against Sandeep Lamichhane by Kathmandu police abruptly interrupting his career. As a repercussion, CAN stripped him of the captain’s role. Lamichhane, who was playing in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) for Jamaica Tallawahs at that time found his contract terminated by the franchise and he was deported to Kathmandu where he was detained by the police.

Sandeep Lamichhane has since maintained his innocence, denouncing the charges as a “conspiracy” against him. He is the fastest to reach 100 ODI wickets breaking Rashid Khan‘s record. Lamichhane reached the 100-wicket milestone in ODIs in just 42 matches. He also briefly showcased his talent in the Indian Premier League, where he played for the Delhi Capitals from 2018 to 2020. He took 13 wickets across nine games in the IPL.

Sandeep Lamichhane also led the Nepal cricket team in ODIs and T20Is and was their star with a lot of cricketing experience across the globe. However, his short career came to a shambolic and horrific end as all his records and achievements were stripped off due to the serious nature of his conviction. His return to professional cricket is not looking possible anytime soon.