Sandeep Lamichhane Suspended by Nepal Cricket Body After Conviction in Rape Case

Nepal leg-spinner and former captain Sandeep Lamichhane has been suspended by the country’s cricket body after being sentenced to eight years in prison for raping an 18-year-old woman. Earlier on Wednesday, the Kathmandu District Court announced the verdict while the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) responded to the development by issuing a statement the very next day.

“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 said.

A single-judge bench also imposed a Rs 3,00,000 fine on the 23-year-old, besides ordering him to pay a compensation of Rs 2,00,000 to the victim. However, Lamichhane’s lawyer Saroj Ghimire was quoted as saying by ‘The Kathmandu Post’ that the cricketer ‘will appeal the decision in a higher court.’

In September last year, an arrest warrant was issued by the Kathmandu police for Lamichhane, leading to his suspension as the Nepal captain by the Cricket Association of Nepal. Although he was playing in the Caribbean Premier League for Jamaica Tallawahs, the franchise released him with immediate effect, and he returned to Kathmandu, where he was arrested.

Last year in September, Lamichhane had withdrawn from the national squad ahead of the T20I Tri-Series at home.

“With a heavy heart, I have decided to withdraw my name from the upcoming tournament. I have been going through difficult and challenging times of my life and I realise I need to revitalise myself and needed family time,” Lamichhane said in a post on his official Facebook page.

Lamichhane was dismissed as national captain and arrested in 2022 but Nepal lifted his playing ban after he was freed on bail in January last year. Hundreds of cheering cricket fans welcomed him when he first returned to the field in February.

He has scalped over 100 wickets in more than 103 white-ball matches for Nepal. He has also had a brief stint in the Indian Premier League with the Delhi Capitals between 2018-20, bagging 13 wickets in nine fixtures.