Nepal’s cricket sensation, Sandeep Lamichhane, has had his rape trial postponed, enabling him to join his teammates for the forthcoming Asia Cup in Pakistan.

Spin bowler Sandeep Lamichhane, once a symbol of Nepal’s cricketing rise, is currently embroiled in a legal battle after being accused of raping a 17-year-old girl in a Kathmandu hotel room last year. Lamichhane vehemently denies all accusations.

The scheduled hearing for Lamichhane’s case, which was set to take place on Sunday, has been adjourned to September 7, as confirmed by his lawyer, Saroj Ghimire.

Lamichhane’s lawyer, Ghimire, shared that due to the trial postponement, Sandeep will be flying to Pakistan to participate in the Asia Cup.

Following his arrest and suspension from the national captaincy last year, Lamichhane was granted bail in January. The ban on his participation was lifted by Nepal cricket authorities. He has been able to travel internationally, including to Zimbabwe for the World Cup qualifiers.

The ODI Asia Cup, a six-nation tournament, is set to kick off in Multan, Pakistan, with Nepal making their debut against the hosts. This co-hosted event with Sri Lanka will feature nine of the 13 matches, culminating in the final in Colombo on September 17.