The Kathmandu district court had sentenced Lamichhane to 8 years in prison on charges of rape.
Earlier this year, the Kathmandu district court had sentenced the leg-spinner to eight years in prison on charges of rape.
As reported by setopati.com, the bench of Judges Sudarshan Dev Bhatta and Anju Upreti Dhakal overruled the district court’s verdict.
“The district court’s verdict has been overturned, Sandeep Lamichhane has been acquitted,” the website quoted the High Court’s deputy registrar and spokesperson, Bimal Parajuli, as saying.
Meanwhile, Sportskeeda reported that Lamichhane is now available to take part in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
However, Nepal has already announced the 15-member squad for the showpiece tournament but with the ICC rule of allowing the teams to make changes to their squad until May 25, it is certain that Lamichhane might get picked.
In September last year, Lamichhane was suspended by the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) after an arrest warrant was issued against him in Kathmandu over the rape complaint.
Three months later, a bench of Kathmandu District Court found Lamichhane guilty of raping an 18-year-old woman. Later in January 2024, he was sentenced to an eight-year jail term. Moreover, a single bench of Judge Shishir Raj Dhakal had slapped a fine of 300,000 Nepalese rupees ($2,255) and ordered the cricketer to pay 200,000 rupees ($1,500) in compensation to the victim.
Sandeep Lamichhane was in the West Indies with Jamaica Tallawahs taking part in the Caribbean Premier League when the court sentenced him to a jail term. The franchise released him with immediate effect as he returned to Kathmandu where he was arrested.
The High Court Government Attorney Office appealed the verdict at the Patan High Court on March 12, seeking maximum punishment against Lamichhane. On the other hand, the cricketer had appealed against the district court’s verdict at the Patan High Court.
On February 22, the high court allowed him to appeal against the district court’s verdict and stay out of the prison.
Sandeep Lamichhane has represented Nepal in 51 ODIs and 52 T20Is, claiming a total of 210 wickets in international wickets.
(With Agency Inputs)