Nepal’s Lamichhane to miss World Cup as US denies visa twice

Sandeep Lamichhane

Nepal's ace leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane was ruled out of the T20 World Cup on Friday after his US visa application was rejected for a second time.

The Nepalese government and its cricket authorities took up Lamichhane's case after his visa was first rejected last week.

The Cricket Association of Nepal said in a statement that "despite taking necessary initiatives... the US Embassy has expressed its inability to give travel permission [visa] to national player Lamichhane to play the World Cup."

The Nepalese cricket association suspended Lamichhane after he was arrested in 2022 over an accusation of the rape of an 18-year-old woman. He was found guilty in January this year but was acquitted on appeal because of "lack of evidence" and the cricket association allowed him to resume playing cricket.

Nepal, placed in Group D, opens its World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on June 7 in Dallas before taking on Sri Lanka at Lauderhill, Florida on June 11. They will then travel to the West Indies for their remaining two group games.

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