Sandeep Lamichhane, the acclaimed cricketer from Nepal, has been cleared of rape charges by the Patan High Court, as announced by the country's cricket board in a press release. Following his acquittal, the 23-year-old is now eligible to participate in all domestic and international cricket tournaments.

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Sandeep Lamichhane case explained

In December last year, the Kathmandu District Court bench found Sandeep Lamichhane guilty of raping an 18-year-old woman. He was subsequently sentenced in January 2024 to an eight-year jail term, along with a fine of Rs 3 lakh and an additional compensation order of Rs 2 lakh for the victim.

During the trial, Sandeep Lamichhane was playing for Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL). However, upon the court's verdict, he was released by the franchise and promptly returned to Kathmandu, where he was arrested.

Following the district court's ruling, Sandeep Lamichhane appealed the verdict, while the High Court Government Attorney Office also sought maximum punishment against him. The Patan High Court allowed Lamichhane to appeal against the district court's decision on February 22, granting him temporary reprieve from imprisonment.

Despite being reconsidered for selection during the Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series at home last February, Lamichhane was eventually dropped for the subsequent tri-series in Dubai, only rejoining the squad later as an injury replacement.

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Throughout his career, Lamichhane has been a pivotal figure for Nepal, featuring prominently in major tournaments such as the ODI World Cup qualifier in Zimbabwe last June-July and the Asia Cup in August-September. With over 100 wickets in more than 100 white-ball matches for Nepal, Lamichhane's impact on the team's performance has been significant.

Additionally, Sandeep Lamichhane had a brief stint in the Indian Premier League with Delhi Capitals between 2018-20, where he managed to claim 13 wickets in nine matches. 

Sandeep may get picked in Nepal's squad for T20 World Cup 2024. Nepal has already announced its squad for the marquee ICC event but it has time till May 25 to make changes. Sandeep likely may get picked because of his track record as a bowler.