IPL Cricket Star Convicted in Rape Case: Faces Jail Time, Career End?
Kathmandu: Nepali cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane, known for his spin bowling in international cricket, is now facing significant challenges. The cricketer, a former captain of the Nepalese national cricket team, recently received a major decision in a court case where he was accused of rape, amid reports of his involvement in legal issues for the past few months. On Friday, the court pronounced him guilty of the rape charge, a significant decision against the former captain.
The Nepalese court had released Lamichhane in January, who had been detained in August on charges of rape against a 17-year-old girl in a hotel room in Kathmandu. Lamichhane, 23, is the first Nepali cricketer to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL), making his debut for the Delhi Capitals franchise in 2018.
According to reports, Justice Shishir Raj Dhakal of the Kathmandu District Court issued this order on Friday. The final hearing had taken place on Sunday, and after that, the court had announced that the verdict would be delivered.
On Friday, the Kathmandu District Court declared Lamichhane guilty of the rape charges. The report suggests that the decision on Lamichhane’s prison sentence will be made in the upcoming hearing.
As of now, he is out on bail. On January 12, the Patan High Court had ordered his release. The review petition on Lamichhane’s release was filed, and a bench comprising Justice Dhruv Raj Nanda and Ramesh Dahal had ordered his release on bail of NPR 2 million on land.
Known for his leg-spin and dangerous googlies, Lamichhane gained popularity in T20 leagues worldwide, including the Big Bash League in Australia, Pakistan Super League, and the Caribbean Premier League. However, his cricketing career is now at risk due to the legal issues.
Lamichhane holds the record for the second-fastest 50 wickets in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and the third-fastest 50 wickets in T20 Internationals (T20Is). His best performance in T20 internationals was during a match against Kenya in August this year.
On November 4, 2022, the Kathmandu District Court had ordered Lamichhane to be released from the detention he was facing after the hearing that took place post-Custody. On August 21, the District Attorney’s Office in Kathmandu filed a case against Lamichhane on charges of rape.
Nepal Police had arrested him on October 6, when he returned from Trinidad and Tobago after playing in the Caribbean Premier League. After filing a review petition, the district attorney’s office on November 21 demanded Lamichhane’s release on a land guarantee of NPR 2 million.
As a 23-year-old cricketer, Lamichhane, who played in the IPL in 2018, is considered the first Nepali cricketer to make a mark in international cricket. Sandeep Lamichhane has taken 112 wickets in 51 ODI matches for Nepal and 98 wickets in 52 T20 matches. His best performance in this format is 5 wickets for 9 runs in T20Is and 6 wickets for 11 runs in ODIs.
