T20 World Cup 2024: Sandeep Lamichhane denied visa for USA after being acquitted of rape, likely to miss T20 WC

Nepal cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane's hopes of playing in the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024 have been dealt another blow as he has been denied a visa to fly to the United States of America.

The much-awaited tournament is scheduled to be played from June 1 to 29 in the USA and the West Indies. Nepal are in Group D alongside Sri Lanka, South Africa, Bangladesh, and the Netherlands. Two of their group games are scheduled to take place in the USA while the other two will be taking place in the Caribbeans.

And it looks like Sandeep Lamichhane won't be able to play the games in the USA, provided that he is added to the Nepal squad first. The leg-spinner could not make the cut for the 15-member squad earlier this month as he was found guilty of raping an 18-year-old woman and was sentenced to eight years in jail.

Later, he appealed against the prison sentence and was recently acquitted of rape by the Patan High Court. He was also allowed to resume playing professional cricket with immediate effect. Soon after the court's verdict, the Cricket Association of Nepal also stated that the leg-spinner would be considered for the T20 World Cup.

With the teams allowed to make changes to their squad until May 25, it looks likely that Sandeep Lamichhane will be added to the Nepal squad. But even if he manages to find a place in the 15-member squad, it looks highly unlikely that he would be able to play at least the first two games for Nepal.

Sandeep Lamichhane denied visa:

On Tuesday (May 22), Sandeep Lamichhane himself took to social media to announce that he had been denied a visa by the US embassy in Nepal. The leg-spinner stated that this is the second time he has been denied the visa by the US Embassy as he 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. @USAmbNepal"

 

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. https://t.co/xdBhaY6G91

— Sandeep Lamichhane (@Sandeep25) May 22, 2024

With not much time left before the World Cup gets underway, it won't be very surprising if Sandeep Lamichhane fails to play at least in the first two group games for his team. Nepal will open their campaign in the T20 World Cup on June 4 in Dallas before taking on Sri Lanka in Florida. They will then leave the USA for Kingstown for their last two group games.