Sandeep Lamichhane Rape Case: Sandeep Lamichhane, the former captain of the Nepal cricket team, has been acquitted in a rape case by the Patan High Court on Wednesday (May 15). The decision comes after the Kathmandu District Court had earlier sentended him eight years in jail in January. The verdict means that Sandeep will be available for selection for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 after he was found innocent.
It is pertinent to note that even though Nepal has already announced a 15-player squad led by Rohit Paudel, the International Cricket Council (ICC) allowes teams to make changes to their squad until May 25 which makes for a case for Lamichhane who has been one of the most recognisable faces of Nepal cricket, given his performances.
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Ground reports as well as information carried by news agency IANS has confirmed Lamichhane's acquittal. The court declared Lamichhane innocent of rapin a womeb in a hotel on Tilganga on August 21, 2022. Ram Narayan Bidari, Raman Shrestha, Shambu Thapa, Murari Sapkota and Krishna Sapkota were the senior advocates who presented their arguments on behalf of Lamichhane and challenged Kathmandu District Court's verdicat who had convicted Lamichhane after finding him guilty.
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The court proceedings began reportedly on Tuesday (May 14) and continued through to Wednesday (May 15) before the verdicat came in favour of the cricketer. The leg-spinner has represented Nepal in 52 T20Is and has taken 98 wickets and could be a vital cog in their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign as they take on Netherlands on June 4 in their opening group-stage fixture.
Nepal squad for T20 World Cup 2024 As On May 15: Rohit Paudel (captain), Aasif Sheikh, Anil Kumar Sah, Kushal Bhurtel, Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Lalit Rajbanshi, Karan KC, Gulshan Jha, Sompal Kami, Pratis GC, Sundeep Jora, Abinash Bohara, Sagar Dhakal, Kamal Singh Airee