KATHMANDU, JANUARY 13

Suspended national cricket team skipper Sandeep Lamichhane, who was released on bail in a rape case today, said he would return to cricket "very soon".

Talking to mediapersons outside the central jail, Lamichhane said he would make a comeback to the sport. "Very soon," said Lamichhane when asked about his return. Lamichhane was suspended by the Cricket Association of Nepal from the national squad after an arrest warrant was issued against him in a rape case. The cricket governing body is yet to react on the issue.

Lamichhane's high-flying career took a nosedive after a minor girl filed an FIR at Gaushala Police Circle accusing the cricketer of raping her multiple times at a hotel in Kathmandu on August 21. He was arrested from Tribhuvan International Airport on October 6.

After Kathmandu District Court denied bail and sent him to central jail in the rape case, Lamichhane filed a petition at the Patan High Court. The case was postponed thrice before the division bench of justices Dhruba Raj Nanda and Ramesh Dhakal granted Lamichhane bail yesterday.

The High Court has restricted Lamichhane from travelling abroad, trying to contact the accused or her family, or posting anything related to the case on social media or public platforms.

After acquiring necessary documents from the Patan High Court, Lamichhane's brother Mohan and lawyers deposited the bail amount of two million rupees at the Kathmandu District Court, which issued the release order. The central jail then released Lamichhane in the afternoon and the cricketer walked out of the gate where he was welcomed by hundreds of supporters and fans.

Security personnel briefly struggled to control the situation after Lamichhane was surrounded by media and supporters outside the gate.

Talking briefly to the media, Lamichhane said he had been respecting court's orders from the beginning and that he would continue to do so in future as well. "I will follow my lawyers' instructions and they have asked me not to speak about the case," said Lamichhane.

"I am not even in a frame of mind to talk. At this moment, I want to be with my family. I would like to thank you all for this support and love, and time will unfold everything," he added.

Lamichhane has been accused of raping a minor at a hotel in Kathmandu on August 21, on the eve of national team's departure to Nairobi for five-match Twenty20 International and three-match One Day Series against Kenya. After leading Nepal to 3-2 victory in the T20I series and also claiming the player-of-the-series award in Nairobi, the globe-trotting cricketer left for the West Indies to play for Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League.

Lamichhane had to cut short the CPL journey after the case surfaced and the CAN suspended him following an arrest warrant from Nepal Police on September 8. The TIA Immigration Department also blacklisted Lamichhane, while the Nepal Police issued a diffusion notice asking Interpol member countries to locate the cricketer.

Lamichhane rose to stardom after he was picked to play in the Indian Premier League by Delhi Daredevils in 2018. The first Nepali cricketer to play in the IPL, Lamichhane never looked back and made a fairytale tour across the globe, as he was snapped up by Australia's Big Bash, Sri Lanka Premier League, CPL, Pakistan Premier League, T10 League in the United Arab Emirates, and England's The Hundred.

A version of this article appears in the print on January 14, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.