Nepal’s former cricket captain acquitted of rape charges on appeal

Lamichhane was accused of raping a young woman in a Kathmandu hotel in 2022, but was released on bail and returned to the team to compete in international tournaments while his lengthy trial dragged on.

The 23-year-old was suspended by the Nepalese Cricket Association following his conviction late last year, but remained free after the conviction awaiting the outcome of his appeal.

“I am grateful to everyone for their support during this time,” Lamichhane said outside the pitch, where he was greeted by cheering fans.

“In the coming days, I will try as much as possible to take Nepal much higher than before.”

The Cricket Association of Nepal said Lamichhane was free to continue his career.

“He has been released from suspension from all domestic and international cricket activities,” association president Chatur Bahadur Chand said in a statement.

The verdict and the swift end to his ban come two weeks before Nepal is set to begin its Twenty20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies.

The Nepal squad has already been eliminated but Lamichhane could still be a late inclusion according to tournament rules.

Lamichhane has consistently denied the allegations made against him and enjoyed widespread public support despite the allegations.

Dozens of fans cheered and celebrated outside the courtroom after the verdict was announced.

“We all know he is innocent, that’s why they have gathered here and united for his justice,” said 21-year-old fan Asmita Chettri.

Lamichhane was once the poster boy of cricket in Nepal and his on-field success as a leg-spinner dramatically increased the sport’s profile in the Himalayan republic.

In 2022, when an arrest warrant was first issued in the case, Lamichhane initially failed to return from Jamaica, where he was playing in the Caribbean Premier League.

He was sacked as national captain and arrested, but Nepal lifted his initial ban from playing when he was released on bail.

This enabled him to remain in the national team, including at last year’s Asian Cup.

But his continued playing career has also sparked anger and led some Nepalis to disavow the team.

Scotland’s cricketers refused to shake his hand after their games during an international tournament in Dubai.

Cricket does not enjoy the same admiration in mountainous Nepal as it does elsewhere in South Asia.

But the sport is growing in popularity, and Nepal was recognized as a one-day international sport by the world governing body in 2018.

Lamichhane was instrumental in this emergence as the most sought-after Nepali cricketer in lucrative leagues around the world.

The star player’s big break came when he was signed for the Indian Premier League, the world’s richest cricket tournament, in 2018.

According to police, about 2,300 rape cases were reported in Nepal in the 2021-22 fiscal year, but human rights activists say many more assaults go unreported.

Only a handful of women in Nepal spoke out during the #MeToo movement, and those accused faced little to no consequences for the allegations.

pm/gle/pbt