Protests erupt in Nepal after USA denies visa to Sandeep Lamichhane for 2024 T20 World Cup
Youth in Nepal's capital Kathmandu have reportedly taken to the streets to protest against the United States of America for denying a visa to leg spinner and former captain Sandeep Lamichhane, who was recently acquitted in a major rape case.
Earlier this month, the Patan High Court overturned the decision of the Kathmandu District Court, which had convicted and sentenced him to eight years for raping an 18-year-old girl. After the High Court's decision, the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) lifted Lamichhane's ban and allowed him to participate in the World Cup.
However, their application to the US embassy for his visa was denied. Following that, according to cricnepal.com, demonstrators gathered outside the Prime Minister’s building in Baluwatar, planning further protests outside the embassy.
Although the deadline for submitting the final World Cup squad to the International Cricket Council was May 28, CAN hopes that they'll be able to get Lamichhane in.
“We have sent a list of only 14 players to the ICC for now because we still hope Lamichhane will get a visa from the US Embassy,” CAN President Chatur Bahadur Chand told the Kathmandu Post. "The ICC has already approved our request to include Lamichhane in the final 15-member World Cup squad. If Lamichhane receives a visa in a few days, he will be included in the squad.”
Lamichhane played a few games for Nepal on bail before the Kathmandu District Court's decision. He saw backlash from cricket fans and human rights organizations from around the world and from the Scotland team, who refused to shake his hand after a match.
"It begs the question of the kind of society we are living in" - Lamichhane's alleged rape victim
After Lamichhane was convicted, the victim of the case came out in interviews in January to give her side of the story, a harrowing account of her feelings from the day of the alleged incident an her feelings after the accused got the initial bail.
"The biggest blow for me came the court decided to grant him bail... It was disturbing to watch that the day he came out of judicial custody, he was celebrated as a hero with garlands. I saw people sympathising with him and presenting him as the victim. No one thought about me. It begs the question of the kind of society we are living in," she told The Quint at the time.
Nepal will play their first match of the tournament on June 4 against the Netherlands.