Sandeep Lamichhane has been left out of Nepal’s squad for the upcoming Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series in Dubai, also featuring United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Papua New Guinea (PNG). Lamichhane is currently out on bail, facing charges of sexual coercion of another person, and bail conditions prevent him from travelling abroad.
While the legspinner was not in the provisional 15-member squad, efforts were being made to secure court permission for him to travel. But his name didn’t feature in the final squad announced by Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) on Saturday.
Nepal’s participation in the tri-series begins on Monday when they take on PNG in Dubai. Last week, in another Cricket World Cup League 2 tri-series, also featuring Scotland and Namibia in Nepal, Lamichhane took 13 wickets in four matches. That performance helped Nepal win all four games in close finishes. He returned three wickets in each of the first three games before picking up four in the final game against Scotland.
His involvement in that series was met with protest by fans as well as opponents. The Scotland players refused to shake hands with Lamichhane post-game, while Namibia decided to bump fists rather than shake hands after one of their games. The boards of both teams also issued statements ahead of the series, condemning gender-based violence.
Lamichhane was suspended by CAN last year after an arrest warrant was issued following the allegations against him. He was taken into police custody and later granted bail, which was followed by his suspension being lifted by CAN earlier this month and his inclusion in the squad for the tri-series against Namibia and Scotland.
Nepal are placed sixth in the seven-team Cricket World Cup League 2 league table. Lamichhane has picked up 55 wickets in the competition – the most for Nepal – and is third in the overall list of wicket-takers.
Nepal squad for UAE-PNG tri-series: Rohit Paudel (capt), Dipendra Singh Airee, Gyanendra Malla, Aasif Sheikh (wk), Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Kushal Bhurtel, Lalit Rajbanshi, Bhim Sharki, Sundeep Jora, Kushal Malla, Shyam Dhakal, Gulshan Jha, Aarif Sheikh, Pratis GC
