Once Accused For Rape, Nepal Spinner Sandeep Lamichhane Reaches Impressive Feat

Nepal spinner and former captain Sandeep Lamichhane achieved a historic milestone on Monday during the T20 World Cup match against Bangladesh in St. Vincent. Lamichhane became the second bowler to take 100 wickets in T20Is after his two-wicket performance in the game. He previously had 98 wickets, with an average of 12.58 and an economy rate of 6.29. This match marked his 54th T20I appearance, making him the second-fastest to reach 100 wickets, just behind Afghanistan's Rashid Khan, who achieved the feat in 53 matches.

Sandeep Lamichhane And His Rollercoaster Ride

Lamichhane returned to international cricket against South Africa last week after a hiatus of over a year. He had been facing an eight-year prison sentence following his rape conviction. Despite not playing competitively since late last year, he continued training regularly at Kathmandu's TU Ground after being cleared.

His arrival in the USA was delayed due to difficulties in obtaining a US visa, despite efforts from Nepal's cricket board and multiple agencies. However, the ICC approved Nepal's request to add Lamichhane to their World Cup squad for the last two group stage matches.

Sharing the news on X, Lamichhane announced his arrival in the West Indies and confirmed he would join the squad for the final two matches. He also expressed his gratitude to the CAN president and other officials.

Despite Lamichhane's efforts, Bangladesh defeated Nepal by 21 runs, advancing to the Super 8 stage.

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