Nepal cricket captain Lamichhane denies rape allegation

Nepal cricket captain Sandeep Lamichhane on Friday denied allegations that he raped a 17-year-old girl and said he would go home to fight his case.

A Nepali court has issued an arrest warrant for the 22-year-old, who is playing in the Caribbean Premier League, and he has been suspended from his leadership position.

The teenage girl, along with her guardian, filed a complaint against the player earlier this week, alleging that he raped her in a hotel room in Kathmandu last month after they met and went out.

In a statement on his social media channels, Lamichhane wrote: "I am INNOCENT & keep complete belief in the respectable laws of Nepal.

"I have decided to take a leave from CPL and go back to my country within few days.

"I am ready to face all these baseless allegations. May justice be served to the innocent & right investigation to be done towards everyone involved.

"Hope the law acts equal to everyone."

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Lamichhane is currently playing for Jamaica Tallawahs in the Caribbean Premier League being held across the West Indies.

Lamichhane is a poster boy for the rise of cricket in Nepal, which gained one-day international status in 2018 but remains a long way from contesting a World Cup.

The leg-spinner's big break came when he was snapped up by the Delhi Capitals for the lucrative Indian Premier League in 2018 and he has since been the most sought-after Nepali cricket player in international T20 leagues.

The accusations against him come after the conviction of popular Nepali actor Paul Shah this week for sexual misconduct with a minor.

He was sentenced to two and a half years in prison and ordered to pay his victim compensation.

About 2 300 rape cases were reported in Nepal in the last fiscal year, according