Nepal’s leg spinner Sandeep Lamichhane’s hopes to participate in the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the United States and the West Indies all but ended after the US Embassy in Kathmandu rejected him a visa for a second time in ten days.

The embassy had called Lamichhane for an interview for a second time on Thursday afternoon following a diplomatic note sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) had requested the government and other stakeholders to take initiatives after Lamichhane was initially denied a visa last week.

CAN confirmed Lamichhane’s visa denial in a press release on Thursday.

“Despite taking necessary initiatives, along with the diplomatic note, from the government of Nepal, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Youth and Sports, National Sports Council, CAN and International Cricket Council (ICC) for cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane’s visit to participate in the 2024 ICC Men's T20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies, the US Embassy has expressed its inability to give travel permission (visa) to national player Lamichhane to play the World Cup,” CAN stated.

After initially denying visa to Lamichhane, the embassy had said it could not comment on individual visa cases ‘as visa records are confidential under US law.’

“The US Embassy in 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,” the embassy said last week.

“We cannot comment on individual visa cases as visa records are confidential under US law.”

Lamichhane’s supporters had taken to streets on Wednesday to express their disappointment over visa denial to the cricketer.

The country’s cricket governing body had submitted a list of only 14 players to the ICC on the May 25 deadline, leaving one slot for Lamichhane in hope that the cricketer would get a visa.

The former national cricket team captain was not included in the provisional squad because the Kathmandu District Court had convicted him of raping a girl in a hotel in Kathmandu in August 2022 and had sentenced him to eight years in jail in January this year.

CAN had lifted suspension on Lamichhane clearing his path to participate in the national and international cricket after Patan High Court acquited him of rape on appeal earlier this month.

The cricket body had immediately started preparation to send Lamichhane to the US after lifting his ban.

CAN had also talked to the ICC and secured approval from the world cricket governing body to include Lamichhane in the World Cup squad if he received a visa.

Before the rape trial, Lamichhane had enjoyed a glittering career. He is the first and the only Nepali cricketer to play in the Indian Premier League. He was also sought after by T20 leagues around the globe.

However, Lamichhane’s success came to a sudden fall when ‘Gaushala 26’—the name police gave to the victim—filed a rape complaint against him.

Lamichhane was in Trinidad & Tobago to play in the Caribbean Premier League from Jamaica Tallawahs when the rape complaint was filed.

Following the rape charge and subsequent arrest warrant issued by the Kathmandu District Court, CAN had dismissed Lamichhane as national captain and suspended him from cricket.

He returned to the national team in February last year and participated in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 home tri-series against Namibia and Scotland, after he was freed on bail.

He also travelled to Zimbabwe in June last year to participate in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier and to India to play the 2023 Asia Cup three months later.

Lamichhane was part of the squad that reached the semi finals of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier in October last year to book their ticket to the T20 World Cup after a decade. Nepal made their World Cup debut in World T20 in Bangladesh in 2014.

He was again suspended from cricketing activities after Kathmandu District Court convicted him in the rape charge.

Lamichhane’s visa rejections means the current 15-member team, who are already in the United States, will likely play the T20 World Cup.

Nepal, drawn in Group D, begin their T20 World Cup against the Netherlands on June 4 in Dallas, followed by group matches against Sri Lanka on June 12, South Africa on June 15 and Bangladesh on June 17.

The US will host 16 group games in three venues—Florida, Texas and New York—while the rest of the tournament including the Super Eight stage, semi-finals and the final will be held in the West Indies.