Nepal on Saturday announced a final 15-member squad for the US Tri-Series of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2, including Sandeep Lamichhane.

Lamichhane will be playing in the United States for the first time this year after the US Embassy in Kathmandu finally granted him a visa.

The leg spinner was rejected the visa twice earlier this year which denied him a chance to play Nepal’s T20 World matches in Dallas in June. Lamichhane had just been acquitted of rape when the US Embassy turned down his visa application to travel to the US.

Coach Monty Desai has also retained most of the members of a squad that completed a T20I series whitewash over the United States earlier this week.

Anil Sah will likely open the innings for Nepal with experienced Aasif Sheikh after the duo did well with the bat in the series sweep of the US T20I Series, and the T20I series in Canada as well.

Kushal Bhurtel has regained his form after hitting 92 not out and 40 not out against the US and will probably continue to bat at number three.

Sompal Kami will spearhead the pace bowling attack alongside Karan KC and Gulsan Jha after impressing in the T20I series against the US.

Lamichhane will lead the spin attack with Lalit Rajbanshi.

The inclusion of Lamichhane will certainly boost Nepal in the US but it remains to be seen whether they could carry the winning momentum to the one-day internationals as well.

Nepal have poor records in the ODIs this year as they are languishing in the seventh position in the eight-team League 2 table with just three points after managing only one win in eight matches, all of which were played this year.

They lost three of their four matches in the inaugural home tri-series (involving Nepal, Namibia and the Netherlands) of the League 2 in February. They were also winless in the Canada Tri-series (involving Nepal, Canada and Oman).

Nepal begin their third series of the League 2 against hosts US in Dallas on Sunday.

Nepal squad

Rohit Paudel (captain), Kushal Bhurtel, Aasif Sheikh, Anil Sah, Bhim Sharki, Aarif Sheikh, Kushal Malla, Dipendra Singh Airee, Arjun Saud, Sompal Kami, Karan KC, Gulsan Jha, Rijan Dhakal, Sandeep Lamichhane, Lalit Rajbanshi

Reserves: Dev Khanal, Sagar Dhakal

ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2

Nepal’s fixtures

NepalOct 27, 21:15US

NepalOct 29, 21:15Scotland

NepalNov 2, 21:15US

NepalNov 4, 21:15Scotland