Nepal’s cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane’s rape conviction was quashed on appeal after the ex-national captain challenged an eight-year jail sentence for sexual assault handed down in January.
“The high court has overturned the district court’s decision. Sandeep Lamichhane has been acquitted,” Bimal Parajuli, a spokesman for the Patan High Court, told AFP news agency on Wednesday.
Lamichhane was convicted of raping an 18-year-old woman in a Kathmandu hotel in 2022.
Several Nepalese and Indian news outlets reported that Lamichhane has the potential to be included in Nepal’s squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
Nepal named its squad for the tournament earlier this month but changes can be made until the May 25 deadline set by the International Cricket Council.
Lamichhane has been the face of cricket in Nepal and the only player from the Himalayan country to take part in major Twenty20 leagues in India, Australia, Pakistan, and the West Indies.
The leg-spinner’s onfield sensation had raised the sport’s profile in the Himalayan republic.
In 2022, he was accused of raping a young woman in a Kathmandu hotel and taken into custody after police issued an arrest warrant for him. He was later released on bail and returned to the squad to compete in international tournaments.
Sandeep Lamichhane was found guilty of rape in December after a repeatedly delayed trial.
When authorities issued an arrest warrant, Lamichhane initially failed to return from Jamaica, where he was playing in the Caribbean Premier League.
The leg-spinner was suspended as Nepal’s captain but was free to continue his sporting career. This let him stay on the national team, including for the World Cup qualifiers and the 2023 Asia Cup.
Hundreds of cricket fans welcomed him when he first returned to the field in February last year. But his continued playing career has also led to anger and caused considerable Nepalese to renounce the team.
