Thinley Namgay   

The under (U)-19 national women’s cricket will play their last game of the tournament against Qatar today in the ongoing ICC U-19 Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier  2022 in Malaysia.

Both the teams are yet to snatch a win.

Bhutan has lost four consecutive games against the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Thailand, Nepal, and host Malaysia.

Bhutan, however, showcased a respectable game against Malaysia and Nepal.  Bhutan lost to Malaysia and Nepal by eight wickets and four wickets, respectively, on June 7 and 6.

However, Bhutan suffered a massive points difference from the UAE and Thailand.  On June 3, UAE defeated Bhutan by 160 runs and Thailand routed Bhutan by 130 runs the following day.

The UAE and Thailand are leading the tournaments with eight points each. Nepal and Malaysia earned four points each from the last four appearances.

The U-19 national women’s cricket team landed in Malaysia on May 31. It is the maiden tournament for Bhutan in an ICC event in the U-19 category.

Bhutan is led by captain Ngawang Choden and most players are 15 to 16 years old. Only three cricketers have featured in the international tournament in the past.

Girls were selected from Thimphu, Paro, Punakha, Wangdue, and Sarpang.

The girls practised at the Gelephu international cricket ground and also in their respective dzongkhags.

Acknowledging the loss, Bhutan Cricket’s press officer, Tandin Wangchuk, said the girls didn’t get enough time to practice at home.