Former Nepal cricket captain Sandeep Lamichhane has been cleared on appeal from a rape conviction that had threatened to derail his promising career. The Kathmandu District Court had handed down the conviction last year, but the decision was overturned by the Patan High Court on Wednesday, May 15. Lamichhane had faced the possibility of eight years in prison and a hefty fine for the alleged rape of an unnamed woman in 2022. However, the leg spinner’s provisional release was extended pending the outcome of his appeal to Nepal’s highest court, which ultimately ruled in his favor. This development comes as a relief to fans of Nepali cricket, who can now look forward to seeing Lamichhane back in action on the field.