The Embassy of the United States of America in Kathmandu on Wednesday declined to issue a visa to national cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane.

The cricketer took to social media to say sorry to his fans.

“The US Embassy did it again, as they did back in 2019. They denied my visa for the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies. Unfortunate. I am sorry to all the well-wishers of Nepal cricket,” Lamichhane said in a post on X.

In 2019, the embassy initially rejected his visa while the cricketer was planning to play in the Caribbean Premier League. However, the embassy had later granted him a visa at the time.

The Cricket Association of Nepal had taken the initiative to include Lamichhane in the World Cup squad after the Patan High Court acquitted him of rape.

Nepal will begin their 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup against the Netherlands on June 4.

All other squad members have already reached the West Indies to participate in the World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the US and the West Indies from June 1 to 29. 

In a response to the visa rejection, the embassy said it can’t comment on individual visa cases ‘as visa records are confidential under US law.’

“US Embassy Kathmandu and other US consular posts around the world have made a concerted effort to ensure that members of national cricket teams who qualify for the appropriate visa class are able to travel in time to compete in the World Cup. We cannot comment on individual visa cases as visa records are confidential under US law,” it said.