Two weeks after the Nepal police issued an arrest warrant in Sandeep Lamichhane's name, the cricketer has come out with a statement that the case has made him unwell, affecting him mentally and physically and added that he is planning to return to Nepal when his health improves.
When news of Lamichhane's arrest warrant was made public - for alleged coercion of another person - on September 8, he was in the West Indies, taking part in the Caribbean Premier League. Back then, he had said he would leave the CPL and would be returning to home to face the "baseless allegations". This latest statement, put out on Monday, suggests Lamichhane is yet to arrive in Nepal.
"The news that a warrant has been issued in my name and that the complaint against me has been lodged, made me upset and unwell," Lamichhane's said in a Facebook post written in Nepali on September 26. "I was not able think about what to do and what not to do.
"All these things affected me mentally on one hand and on the other hand, I had to go through illness, and due to mental stress and ill health I kept myself in isolation. I have been mentally and physically affected by the portrayal and I have reached a state of imbalance and I have been bringing myself back to a normal state under the advice of doctors. My health is gradually improving, and I am planning to return to Nepal as soon as possible to defend against the false complaint against me."
Lamichhane once again reiterated that the accusations against him were "false" and had "severely damaged" his "character".
"I will fight the legal battle against the false accusations. As far as I understand, according to the constitution of Nepal, I am innocent until proven guilty. I also understand that the constitution provides for the right to live with dignity, the right against torture, the right to privacy, the right to health and the right to consult with my legal practitioner."
Lamichhane, 22, is by far Nepal's most high-profile cricketer, and the only one to have played in T20 leagues around the world, including the IPL, the Big Bash League, the Pakistan Super League, the Bangladesh Premier League, the Lanka Premier League and the CPL.
He is also the world's second-fastest bowler to 50 ODI wickets and third-fastest to 50 T20I wickets, and last played competitive cricket in the T20I series against Kenya, in August 2022. After that, he was set to represent Jamaica Tallawahs in the CPL but was unable to take the field.
Lamichhane was Nepal's captain at the time of the arrest warrant, a position he has since lost having been suspended by the board. At the time, Cricket Association of Nepal's acting secretary Prashant Vikram Malla said that his suspension would remain in place pending a complete investigation.