Sandeep Lamichhane has been denied a visa to enter the United States, with the Cricket Association of Nepal conceding there was a “slim or no chance” he would play at the T20 World Cup.
The World Cup begins on Saturday when co-hosts USA take on Canada in Texas. The tournament will also be held in the Caribbean.
Nepal's first game is against the Netherlands on June 4 in Dallas and the country had hoped to include spin bowler Lamichhane in their plans after he had his eight-year sentence for rape quashed on appeal.
The former Nepal captain said last week his US visa had been denied, calling the decision “unfortunate”.
Chhumbi Lama, central committee member of the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), said their subsequent bid to push for a US visa had failed.
“There is a slim – or no chance – for him to be involved in the World Cup,” Lama told AFP.
“The Cricket Association of Nepal had lobbied to the US embassy through different Nepal government agencies, but the visa was denied.”
“The US Embassy in Kathmandu and other US consular posts around the world have made a concerted effort to ensure that members of national cricket teams who qualify for the appropriate visa class are able to travel in time to compete in the World Cup,” a spokesperson of the US Embassy in Kathmandu said last week, according to Kathmandu Post.
“We cannot comment on individual visa cases as visa records are confidential under US law.”
Lamichhane, 23, was once the poster boy of Nepal cricket, but was not included in the original squad because of the conviction for raping a young woman in a Kathmandu hotel in October 2022.
He was immediately suspended by CAN. After a trial in January 2024, he was found guilty only to be acquitted on appeal by the Patan High Court in May, because of “a lack of evidence”. CAN allowed him to resume playing cricket with immediate effect.
The International Cricket Council said that all T20 World Cup squads had been named by the May 25 deadline.
Any alteration to Nepal's squad would now require approval from the ICC's event technical committee.
T20 World Cup jerseys ranked
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New Zealand team's retro jersey for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and US. Photo: Blackcaps / X (Twitter). -
The Indian team's kit for the 2024 T20 World Cup. The kit has orange in for only the second time after a one-off match against England at the 2019 ODI World Cup. Photo: Adidas / X (Twitter). -
Pakistan's players pose with the jersey for the 2024 T20 World Cup. Photo: Pakistan Cricket Board / X (Twitter). -
The T20 World Cup jersey of hosts West Indies. Photo: Windies Cricket / Instagram -
Mitchell Marsh with Australia's jersey for the 2024 T20 World Cup. Photo: Cricket Australia / X (Twitter). -
The Netherlands team's T20 World Cup jersey is one of the best seen in any world event. Photo: Cricket Netherlands / X (Twitter). -
Sri Lanka's captain Wanindu Hasaranga with his team's jersey for the 2024 T20 World Cup. AFP -
The Namibian team will participate in the 2024 T20 World Cup wearing these striking colours. Photo: Cricket Namibia / Instagram -
Nepal team's jersey for the 2024 T20 World Cup. Photo: Cricket Association of Nepal / Instagram -
Uganda had to change their original design and settle for a simple all yellow kit for the T20 World Cup. Photo: Uganda Cricket Association / Instagram -
Chris Jordan poses poses in England's kit for the T20 World Cup in Bridgetown, Barbados. Getty Images -
Scotland's jersey for the T20 World Cup is one of the most impressive in the tournament. Photo: Cricket Scotland / Instagram -
The Canadian team with their 2024 T20 World Cup jersey. Photo: Cricket Canada / X (Twitter). -
Afghanistan players with their T20 World Cup jersey. Photo: Afghanistan Cricket Board / X (Twitter). -
The Proteas' T20 World Cup design has their national colours displayed prominently on the shoulders. Photo: Cricket South Africa / X (Twitter). -
The Papua New Guinea team with their T20 World Cup kit. Photo: PNG Cricket / Instagram -
The T20 World Cup kit of Oman for the 2024 showpiece event. Photo: Oman Cricket / Instagram -
Host nation USA's kit for the 2024 T20 World Cup. Photo: USA Cricket / X (Twitter). -
Bangladesh's jersey for the T20 World Cup 2024. Photo: Bangladesh Cricket Board / X (Twitter). -
Ireland's jersey for the T20 World Cup. Photo: Cricket Ireland / Instagram
