Sandeep Lamichhane seeks clear answer from ECB after missing out on The Hundred due to visa issues
Promising Nepal leg-spinner Sandeep Lamichhane has expressed his disappointment with ECB’s handling of his visa issue, which has ruled him out of The Hundred.
Lamichhane was set to represent the Oval Invincibles in The Hundred, which will begin on Wednesday with a Women’s clash between Oval Invincibles and Manchester Originals at The Oval.
Earlier, Lamichhane was due to play for Worcestershire in the Vitality Blast. However, due to delays in his visa approval, Worcestershire pulled out of the deal with the player.
Releasing an official statement on his Facebook account, Lamichhane claimed that he followed all the procedures given to him by the ECB but won’t be able to feature in The Hundred. The 20-year-old lamented:
“I am extremely gutted for missing out on The Hundred. I was so looking forward to playing for my team Oval Invincibles and followed all the instructions that was given to me by the ECB officials.”
Giving further details of the visa controversy, Lamichhane added:
“Briefly, when I applied for the Tier-5 visa, I was told that one Certificate of Sponsorship would be enough for my gig at Vitality Blast and The Hundred. Due to the COVID-19 situation, there was a delay in my visa and Worcestershire pulled out. But it was again communicated to me by officials that as long as I come into the UK before July 10, I would be okay as my COS was still active.”
The disappointed cricketer stated that he came to the UK on July 9 and had no issues whatsoever at the immigration desk. He added that he was even moved to a government-managed quarantine facility to complete his isolation period. Lamichhane’s statement continued:
“On July 18, two days before my quarantine completion, I was told by ECB that may visa is not valid and I have to leave the country ASAP. I have been asking what went wrong but apparently no one at the ECB have the correct answer. I can totally understand that things can go south at any time, however, I at least deserve a clear answer on why my valid visa is not valid anymore.”
I left a lot to be a part of this exciting tournament: Sandeep Lamichhane
In his statement, Lamichhane also urged the ECB to look into the matter so that no other cricketer has to face similar issues. The youngster concluded:
“I left a lot to be a part of this exciting tournament and totally pray and wish the best for all teams out there. I always got love from the lovely people of the UK and I would urge ECB to look into the matter so that no one else has to go through this ordeal. I can also feel for my people who were so looking forward to my participation in this amazing tournament. There will be better days ahead."
The ECB is yet to respond to Lamichhane's statement.
Lamichhane has an excellent record in T20 cricket. In 101 games, he has claimed 138 wickets at a strike rate of 15.90 and an economy rate of 6.86.