|| AFP ||

A court in Nepal on Wednesday sentenced former cricket captain Sandeep Lamichhane to eight years in prison for rape.

Lamichhane, 23, was once the poster boy for cricket in Nepal and the leg spinner's onfield success had boosted the sport's profile in the Himalayan republic.

In 2022 he was accused of raping a young woman in a Kathmandu hotel but was freed on bail and returned to the squad to compete in international tournaments.

He was convicted of rape in December after a repeatedly delayed trial that had left him free to continue his sporting career, with his sentence handed down on Wednesday.

"The court has sentenced him to eight years," Kathmandu district court official Ramu Sharma told AFP.

Lamichhane, who is not in custody, was not in court for the sentencing.

His lawyer, Saroj Ghimire, told AFP he "will appeal the decision in a higher court".

Lamichhane consistently denied the charge against him and enjoyed strong public support despite the accusation.

But his continued playing career has also sparked anger and caused numerous Nepalis to disavow the team.

The case against Lamichhane took more than a year to conclude after repeated delays on procedural grounds.