Cricket in the valley of the home of the mythical Yeti The pristine valley of Merak and Sakteng is one of the most remote places in the country and for ages the community has been closed to protect the unique cultural heritage of the Brokpa people. The semi-nomadic Yak herders still believe that the mythical creature Yeti roams the valley and is an important part of the local culture. It was an exciting but challenging task for Bhutan Cricket to bring the sport of cricket to them as they were not sure about the interest and acceptance. With red cheek, braided yak hair and blue rubber boots in traditional attire, Sonam Dorji is intrigued when he sees a cricket bat for the first time. “With a smirk on his face, he said that the bat will be useful to use as kind of whips to provide directional guidance or to encourage movement animals”. The 5-day journey from the capital Thimphu is full of adventure and winding roads crossing many majestic peaks and passes, which are food for the soul and a delight for the eyes. Bhutan Cricket has taken an initiative to bring cricket to the far east of Bhutan, Merak and Sakteng. The ICC Criiio Cricket Program in Merak and Sakteng is a unique cricket clinic that aims to promote and introduce the game in two schools. These two schools, Merak Primary School and Sakteng Lower Secondary School, are among the few remote schools in Bhutan where such programs are not conducted. https://youtu.be/Tdse1bOY1CA In the hope of preserving the cricket culture in the valley, a plastic bat and ball were distributed to each participant, sponsored by UNICEF Bhutan. A total of 484 students and 26 teachers from both schools participated in the program. It was considered one of the most successful programs initiated by Bhutan Cricket in recent years due to the travel involved and the location is over 3500 meters above sea level. Trekking through the pristine valley on foot and seeing the happy faces of the children holding bat and ball for the first time captured the idea of healthy development and success.

The explosive Mikyo stormed social media overnight when he became the first player from Bhutan to be registered in the history of IPL Auction 2022. It was a milestone for Bhutan Cricket and for Mikyo to be fielded in the world’s biggest cricket tournament. The 21-year-old all-rounder made his debut for Bhutan in 2018 against Malaysia and has played nine international matches so far. He is a very hardworking boy with passion and drive who is also supported by his father who is also a passionate sports fan. “I think I am someone who is passionate and obsessed with what I do. When I want something, I do whatever it takes to achieve it,” Mikyo explained. That attitude speaks for itself, as he is also the first player to play in the Everest Premier League for the Lalitpur Patriots in Nepal in 2021. To realize his dream and develop his cricketing skills, the former North Pointer has joined the MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai at his own expense and hopes to change the image of cricket in Bhutan. Well-built and broad-shouldered, Mikyo is a disciplined athlete whose biggest goal is to play in one of IPL’s teams. Mikyo drew a lot of inspiration from former Indian captain Dhoni when he met him in Chennai. In the video that went viral on social media, the captain gave the Bhutanese prodigy some good advice: ”Keep it simple. Focus more on the process and less on the results. If you go about the process the right way, you will get the results. Like every other cricketer in Bhutan, Mikyo firmly believes that Bhutanese cricket can evolve in many ways. He takes a cue from countries like Nepal, Oman and Afghanistan that have made great strides in cricket. He said, “Just a few years ago we were competing with these countries and now some of them are playing in the World Cup.” This just shows that we are making progress, but very slowly. While other countries are making great strides forward.

Gelephu International Cricket Ground (GICG) is the first natural grass pitch ground of Bhutan Cricket and is located in the southern part of Bhutan, in Gelephu. Currently, the ground has six natural grass pitches in the center, four natural grass pitches and two artificial grass pitches at the nets. The total area of the ground is 6 acre, of which 75% are used for the main playing field and the rest for the grandstand with natural seating, the construction of a pavilion, nets, toilets, a staff house, storage facilities, and future development of the site. When the pavilion is completed, we will have about 3000 seats for spectators. The pavilion will have two dressing rooms for the teams, official rooms for media, umpires, scorers and match officials, an office cafeteria, VIP stands, toilets and a gallery with 360 seats. The ground will serve as a National Cricket Academy and venue for international and major national events. Funding for the development of the pitch was originally provided by the Asian Cricket Council and we have continued to receive funding from ACC depending on the Asia Cup. We have received a loan from the ICC and a special grant for the development of the pavilion. The Bhutan Olympic Committee has supported us with a grant for the construction of toilets, gates, and parking. The construction of the site started in 2016, and later the work was interrupted because there was no clay available for the construction of the pitch. However, in 2019, the work was resumed, with some changes in the strategy for the development of the main field. From 2021, the field was used for the preparation of the women’s national team. We are hoping that by end of 2023 the ground will be equipped with all the facilities.

With her big nerd glasses, unkempt blonde hair, and bright smile, Anju looks more like a pop star, but her fierce spirit and devastating left have dazzled many when facing her in the middle. Meet Anju Gurung, one of the most successful female cricketers in Bhutan’s history, who broke the ice and made a name for herself on the international stage. She is now a household name and a star that many young, aspiring female cricketers look up to. Today we know a lot about women’s cricket, a few years ago it was not given much attention. Pursuing something that is not conventional requires a lot of confidence, perseverance and the courage to never give up. Anju was born out of pure passion, dedication and hard work. It took her 15 years to break the shackles and win her first world tournament FairBreak Invitational Women’s T20 Cricket, which will be held in Dubai in May 2022. “As women cricketers, we always look forward to playing on such big stages and I am looking forward to playing alongside the international players in Dubai. I feel that female athletes in Bhutan are treated the same as male athletes. In our cricket association, women have the same status as men because the board knows that women have the ability to do what men can do,” Anju explained. The 28-year-old, who hails from the small border town of Gelephu, began her quest at the age of 13. Since then, she has never looked back and her world revolves around cricket balls and bats. Her consistent performances in international tournaments, starting from the U19 tournaments ACC to the recent World Cup qualifier in Asia where she was the second-best wicket collector, gave her the breakthrough to the FairBreak International Women’s T20 tournament. This is not only a great achievement for her but also for Bhutan Cricket. Meanwhile, Bhutan Cricket is in talks with Thailand Cricket to give her the opportunity to train with the Thai women’s team to prepare for the tournament. “I am lucky that my mother has always supported me and that is why I am still involved. It depends on our own attitude whether we make the game our profession or a hobby,” she added. For now, she is fixated on using her skills for Dubai and shaping the future. https://youtu.be/9pUDOdVRFFE