Thinley Namgay

The men’s senior national cricket team of Bhutan faced an 85-run defeat against Saudi Arabia yesterday in the ongoing International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Asia Qualifier B in Doha, Qatar.

This marks three consecutive losses for Bhutan. Saudi Arabia batted first. At the end of first inning, the team made 171 runs, losing seven wickets in 20 overs.

In the second inning, Bhutan needed 172 runs to seal the game. However, the team could manage only 85 runs in 20 overs. 

Saudi Arabia is one of the stronger teams in Asia and ranks 33rd in the ICC T20 rankings.

On November 20, the host Qatar defeated Bhutan by six wickets. In 20 overs, Bhutan managed 111 runs with the loss of all wickets. The opponents chased the target, scoring 112 runs in just 16.5 overs, with 20 balls remaining.   

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) defeated Bhutan by 63 runs on November 19. Bhutan scored 103 runs with the fall of eight wickets in 20 overs. The UAE amassed 166 runs, losing six wickets in their 20 overs.   

The tournament, scheduled between November 19 and 28, features seven countries: Bhutan, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Cambodia, and Thailand.   

The tournament follows a league format, where all teams play against each other at least once.

Among the participating countries, the UAE ranks 16th in the world, followed by Bahrain at 26th, Qatar at 28th, Saudi Arabia at 33rd, Cambodia at 42nd, Thailand at 58th, and Bhutan at 78th.

The UAE  is leading the tournament with six points, while Qatar and Thailand have bagged four  points each.

Bhutan will play their fourth game against Bahrain today. Despite three losses, Bhutan is determined to put up a good fight in their remaining games.

The top two teams from this tournament will advance to the Regional Final, where they will join Nepal, Oman, and Papua New Guinea along with two teams from Sub-Regional Qualifier A.

Nepal, Oman, and Papua New Guinea received byes after participating in previous T20 World Cup events.

Before departing for Qatar, the team played three practice matches at the Greater Noida Sports Complex Ground in Uttar Pradesh, India, to gain exposure and acclimatise.