Thimphu Knights storm into the Finals

Thimphu Knights beat SKD All Stars by six wickets to book a place in the finals of the ongoing Bhutan T20 Smash 2022.

SKD All Stars and Thimphu Knights faced each other in the qualifier one match having ranked number one and two teams respectively after the completion of the league rounds and the winner by rule going directly to the finals.

SKD All Stars had a dreadful start losing opener Tandin Penjor for a duck in the second over by Tandin Wangchuk. The other opener Khendrup Jangchub Dorji who was sent back to the pavilion as he was caught by Suprit Pradhan off Suman Pradhans bowling in the third over.

SKD’s Jigme Wangchuk and Yowon Pradhan slowly started to build a partnership as the two added 44 for the third wicket before Jigme Wangchuk was run out from a lightning direct throw to the stumps by Suprit Pradhan. Suprit Pradhan followed up his fielding with wicket of Sherub Jamtsho in the next over as he was caught deep by Barun Wakhley.

Yowon Pradhan on the other side was the lone batsman who made a valuable contribution of 43 runs off 28 balls before he was beaten by a “slow in air” ball bowled brilliantly by Suman Pradhan.

Suprit Pradhan went on to pick his second wicket that of Sanjeevan Raj to give Knights their sixth wicket. It seemed like a comfortable score to chase down at this point for the Knight’s, before SKD All Stars skipper Jigme N Dorji walked in late to play a cameo of innings hitting 49 runs off just 21 balls which included seven boundaries and two sixers to give his team a respectable total of 157 runs.

In the second innings, Thimphu Knights also had probably the worst start losing openers Tandin Wangchuk and Pasa Wangdi before the third over with only 14 runs on the scorecard. However, skipper Sanjog Chhetri and Suprit Pradhan had better intentions and execution as the two put up a team record of 113 runs partnership for the third wicket.

Suprit Pradhan went on to score 71 runs off 32 balls (9x4s, 4x6s) before he was bowled in the 11^th over by Jigdrel Wangchuk. Skipper Sanjog Chhetri scored valuable 35 runs off 26 balls before he was caught by Yowon Pradhan off Jigdrel Wangchuk in the 13^th over. The damage was already done through the brilliant partnership before Suman Pradhan and Chirag Sharma did the ‘icing on the cake’ with 33 runs partnership with 14 balls left in the innings to give Knights an easy six wickets win and be the first team to reach the finals.