Cricket Association of Nepal revokes Sandeep Lamichhane's supsension, set to play CWC League 2 tri-series

Nepal's Sandeep Lamichhane is all set to return for the national side after the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) lifted the suspension of the rape-accused former skipper. Lamichhane is likely to play in Nepal's upcoming Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series at home against Namibia and Scotland later this month.

Former Nepal skipper Sandeep Lamichhane was in hot waters after he was accused of raping a 17-year-old in September 2022. He was suspended by the CAN after an arrest warrant was made public on September 8, while he was with the Jamaica Tallawahs squad in the CPL. The disgraced cricketer was taken into police custody after returning to the country on October 6.

However, the CAN revoked his suspension following his bail in the ongoing case. Lamichhane was granted bail by the Patan High Court but was barred from leaving the country, making him available for the upcoming home tri-series. Britant Khanal, the CAN general manager speculated that the 22-year-old's participation in foreign tours cannot be confirmed at the moment and will only be part of the team if the court allows him to travel abroad.

The Attorney General’s Office filed a petition with the Supreme Court after Lamichhane was released on bail

Meanwhile, the decision to grant bail to the high-profile cricketer was met with criticism in the country, with the Office of the Attorney General challenging the decision in the country’s apex court. The 22-year-old is arguably the most celebrated cricketer to come out from Nepal and has been part of renowned global domestic leagues like the IPL, BBL, PSL, BPL, and CPL.

“The order is wrong. Therefore, to uphold the order of the Kathmandu District Court, the bail order given by Patan High Court should be changed. We have moved the Supreme Court with the legal basis and provisions for doing so. Since the case of the nature where the accused must remain in custody during prosecution, we have asked the Supreme Court for the same,” Sanjiv Raj Regmi, a spokesperson for the Office of the Attorney General, was quoted as saying by The Tribune.

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