Nepali cricket fans are in an uproar after the US Embassy denied a visa to star spinner Sandeep Lamichhane. This comes just days before Nepal is set to play a T20 World Cup warm-up match against the United States, the host nation for the first time.
The outrage stems from a dominant performance by Nepal against the US in 2020. During a League 2 series match, Nepal skittled out the American team for a mere 35 runs, the lowest score in ODI cricket history. Sandeep Lamichhane was instrumental in that historic win, claiming a career-best 6 wickets for just 16 runs.
This isn’t the first time the US Embassy’s visa decision has ruffled Nepali feathers. In 2019, Sandeep was initially denied a visa, only to be granted one later after significant public pressure. Now, fans are flooding the American Embassy’s Facebook page with their disappointment.
The denial adds another layer to the upcoming warm-up match. Nepal considered the stronger team, will be without their star spinner as they take on the US on home soil. Nepali supporters are hoping the team can replicate their 2020 heroics, even without Sandeep.
