Facing charges of raping a minor, Nepal spinner Sandeep Lamichhane is getting openly discriminated within the cricket fraternity.
According to a report published in ESPNCricinfo, Scotland cricket team players refused to shake hands with Lamichhane after their three-wicket loss to Nepal.
The report further stated that the Scottish players shook hands with every Nepal player barring Lamichhane as part of a silent protest to the spinner’s continued presence and participation in the ICC’s Cricket World Cup League 2 series which also features Namibia.
It also added that the leg-spinner was made aware of the protest beforehand. Lamichhane, a former captain of the Nepal team, is currently out on bail.
Ahead of the series, Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) lifted the player's suspension and included him in a training camp ahead of the series, which led to widespread outrage in Nepal.
The presence of Sandeep Lamichhane in the tri-series also sparked outrage among Namibian and Scottish players.
“As a governing body, and as a squad, Cricket Scotland stands firmly against all forms of abuse, which have no place in modern society. The player’s availability for these games is a matter for the Cricket Association of Nepal and the ICC to consider,” Cricket Scotland said in a statement, as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.
Cricket Namibia had said that the board “strongly opposes all forms of gender-based violence, discrimination and abuse”.
(ESPNCricinfo Inputs)