SKD All Stars beat Paro Bluemoon CC by five runs in a thrilling finish that led to Paro Bluemoon’s exit from the tournament of the on-going Bhutan T20 Smash 2022 held at Jigmethang cricket ground, Thimphu today. With the win SKD All Stars has booked their place in the top four that will play the knock out matches after the league round. SKD started poorly, losing skipper Jigme N Dorji who was bowled off the first ball to Sonam Tobgay. Sonam Tobgay went on to bowl out Khendrup Jangchub to claim his second wicket at a score of 23 after the third over. SKD All Stars lost their third wicket Yowon Pradhan as he was retired hurt. Paro skipper Nabin Chhetri added the extra pressure from one side of the wicket as he kept troubling the batsman with his wicket to wicket directed ball. Nabin claimed the likes of Sanjeevan Raj, Jigme Wangchuk, Sherub Jamtsho ending his four overs giving only 20 runs. Paro’s left arm pacer Pema bundled the tailenders closing the SKD innings for 120 for the loss of nine wickets. Paro’s hope of overcoming the required chase was dashed as they lost their main man Sonam Tobgay in a mis-communication leading to a run-out without him facing a ball. Paro’s half centurion from the previous match Kishen Ghalley also failed to make any impact as he was bowled by Tashi Chophel in the third over. Batting at the centre Chamling Rai and Sanjit Biswa brought some resistance as the two added 24 for the third wicket before losing Chamling Rai caught at deep cover in the 7th over to medium pacer Tandin Wangdi and caught by Jigme Wangchuk. Bowling from the other end, off-spinner Sherub Jamtsho troubled the batsman with his spin variations that fetched him three wickets. It was a one man show for the Paro Bluemoon as Sanjit Biswa on the other hand went on to score a half century. Sanjit kept the score ticking with occasional boundaries. Sanjit Biswa kept the hunt as the Paro Bluemoon found themselves needing 11 runs off the last over. SKD All Stars opted for their most experienced senior player Sanjeevan Rai to bowl the last over and SKD All Stars needing a wicket to close the match. SKD’s decision of giving the ball to Sanjeevan proved a match winner as the SKD gave only five runs in the last over winning by five runs. Tandin Wangdi was declared player of the match for his three wickets and 15 runs scored from the bat.
Jigdrel spin SKD to easy win over Dantak
SKD All Stars thrashed Dantak XI by 103 runs to stay on top of the table of the on-going Bhutan T20 Smash 2022. Pawan Mehta gave Dantak the best start bowling SKD All Star skipper Jigme N Dorji into the second over. Khendrup joined his skipper back in the pavilion in the next over after being caught and bowled by Vinay Singh. Dantak picked up their third as Tandin Penjor caught by keeper off Kalay as the score stood at 39. Sanjeevan (33 of 19 balls) on the other end kept the score board ticking with some stylish shots through the covers before getting sent-off for an LBW decision off Shrikant Hanamant’s bowling. Jigme Wangchuk and Sherub Jamtsho carried the momentum as the two put a partnership of 55 runs for the fifth wicket before Jigme Wangchuk (23 off 23 balls) was bowled by Pawan Mehta who had come on to bowl his second spell. Sherub Jamtsho (56 off 26) on the other hand went bizarre as he smacked six sixers as he brought up his maiden half century. Sherub was ultimately caught at deep mid-on by Vinay Singh off Shrikant Hanamant bowling who picked up three wickets. SKD’s tailender Chhimi Gyeltshen quick fired 20 of nine balls as SKD All Stars put up a mammoth 211 for Dantak to chase. Dantak opener Pawan Mehta seemed to have come with an attacking sense as he went after the SKD bowlers early on. Pawan Mehta quick fired 35 off 13 balls ultimately falling to Tashi Chophel caught behind by keeper Jigme Wangchuk. Pawan Kumar and William Rana kept the Dantak in the game as the two added 40 for the second wicket before Pawan Kumar was stumped off Jigdrel Wangchuk’s left arm spin. Jigdrel went on to bowl William Rana two balls later to claim his second victim. Dantak batsman had no answers to Jigdrel’s left arm orthodox spin as he went to claim Vinay Singh and Rakesh Dhiman in the same over as he picked his number four. SKD young medium pacer Chhimi Wangchuk kept the same pressure with some tight line and length bowling as he picked up four of the Dantak tailenders to restrict Dantak to 106 for nine. Chhimi had a figure of 4/10 from two overs. Jigdrel finished off with a fifer (5/9) as he became the first to claim five wickets in the tournament and lead SKD to 103 runs win. Jigdrel was declared the player of the match for his outstanding spell of bowling.
Druk Gladiator’s topple SKD All Stars as table topper
Druk Gladiator’s Saha Alom hit an unbeaten 88 off 57 balls to outthrow SKD All Stars as table topper of the on-going Bhutan T20 Smash 2022. SKD All Star opener Jigme N Dorji (39 from 36 balls) and Khendrup Jangchub (43 off 19 balls) went bizarre after choosing to bat first putting up 76 runs opening partnership off 35 balls. Tandin Penjor compiled a composed 40 of 43 balls as SKD put up 180 target for the Gladiators. Druk Gladiator’s seemed to have planned an aggressive approach as openers Saha Alom (88 of 57 balls) and Aryan Verma (41 of 35 balls) went after the SKD bowlers bringing up the first century (108 runs) opening partnership of the tournament. Tashi Chophel was the pick of the bowlers with figures of one for 10 runs from 4 overs as rest of the bowlers struggled to restrict the momentum of the Gladiator’s firework. Saha Alom’s bizarre innings included seven 4s and five 6s as his unbeaten 88 takes his team to the top of the table and also earning him the player of the match.
Kishen’s half century in vain as Warriors beat Paro
Paro Bluemoon’s Kishen Ghalley scored his maiden half century and first in the tournament but all in vain as his team went down to True Warrior’s by five runs in the ongoing Bhutan T20 Smash 2022. True Warrior’s narrow victory over Paro Bluemoon CC has kept their hopes alive for the top two spots. In the first innings, Warrior’s opener Kinga Loday scored the highest individual score of 45 runs of 44 balls to help his team post 130 for the loss of seven wickets in 20 overs. Tarun Kumar came up with other noticeable score of 21 of 16 balls. Paro Bluemoon fast bowler Pema Wangchuk and Nabin Chettri were the pick of the bowlers with two wickets. Paro lost both their openers within the first two overs but it was wicket-keeper batsman Kishen Ghalley who churned the innings with 56 of 54 balls before getting bowled out in the 18th over off Kezang Nima during a critical moment of the game that saw True Warriors snatch a narrow win over the Paro Bluemoon. Hritesh Barman (17 of 20 balls) and Pema Wangchuk (17 of 9 balls) came up with other notable scores. True Warrior’s Kesang Nima was declared the man of the match.
Sajibul powers Gladiators to their second win
Leading the current stand for the highest run getter and player of the tournament table point, Druk Gladiator’s Sajibul Mai powers his team to a 5 wicket over the Paro Bluemoon Club to take them to the second position of the on-going Bhutan T20 Smash 2022 at Jigmethang cricket ground, Thimphu. Paro Bluemoon opener Tulsi Biswa and Sanjit Biswa started steadily scoring 39 runs opening partnership from six overs before Tulsi fell to Deepak Verma caught at slip by Sajibul Mai. Wicket-keeper batsman Kishen was sent back two overs later in a mix-up that caused him a run-out. New batsman Gem Tshering was stumped the first ball in the ninth over. Paro Bluemoon remaining batsman struggled as Sajibul Mai and Sahidul Islam kept troubling them ultimately completing the first innings at 137 for the loss of nine wickets from 20 overs. Druk Gladiators opener Vijay Sagar played the anchoring job for the team as he went on to score 47 of 47 balls before he was caught out by Pema Wangchuk of Sonam Tobgay’s bowling in the 17th over. Paro Bluemoon managed to get the wickets of Deepak Verma, Saha Alom and Aryan Verma but Sajibul Mai (44 of 24 balls) punished the drop catch errors from the Paro fielders as they went on to win the match by five wickets. Sajibul Mai was declared the Player of the match.
True Warriors win a thriller
True Warriors registered their first win of the Bhutan T20 Smash 2022 edging pass Dantak by a narrow 3 runs and march forward in the tournament. Having lost their opening match to Druk Gladiators in the previously week True Warriors had to win to keep their hopes alive for the top two spot. It wasn’t the best start that True Warriors would have wanted losing Soenam Jamtsho to the third delivery of the first over to Vinay Singh. Sanjay Pradhan and Kinga Loday started to build the innings putting up 41 runs between them before Sanjay was bowled by Bhagat Singh. Kinga Loday looked good for his 41 of 32 balls before Pawan Mehta bowled him in the 12 over as the total score stood at 98 runs. Dantak’s speedster Vinay Singh came back for his second spell and got the better of Kelzang Nima who returned to the pavilion without troubling the score much. True Warrior’s Manish Giri on the other hand started to open up and play some blistering shots supported by Tarun Kumar from the other side. Manish Giri went on to score his first half century (61 of 31 balls) as True Warriors set a massive 188 runs target. Dantak’s Vinay Singh ended with best figure of 4 for 24 from his 4 overs. Dantak opening batsman Pawan Mehta looked in some mood as he started to hit some aggressive shots early on. Dantak lost their first wicket Pawan Kumar in the fourth over at the score of 36. It didn’t take long for Warrior’s as they picked up Bhagat Singh in the next over. Warrior’s medium pacer Pema Dorji got the better of Pawan Mehta bowling him out for 44 of 24 balls in the ninth over. Pema was the pick of the bowlers for the Warrior’s with figure of 1 for 14 from 4 overs. At this juncture of the game, Warriors were all over Dantak, however, William Rana and Vinay Singh had other plans as the two started to look comfortable and punish the Warrior’s fielding errors adding 67 runs fifth wicket partnership. Rana went on to score his maiden half century (66 of 51 balls) The game stood at 13 runs required of the last over. Warrior’s speedster Yueyong Phuntsho started nervously bowling a wide first ball before trapping Vinay Singh leg before wicket the next ball. Next bastman Rakesh Dhiman managed to squeeze a single from the next ball bringing Rana on strike. Set batsman Rana flicked the ball towards deep square to take Dantak to a one hit distance before Yueyong Phuntsho managed to run-out Rakesh Dhiman the next delivery that caused Rana to the non-striker end leaving the new man on strike. Dantak required five of the last ball which Yueyong managed to ball for a dot ball run-out giving True Warrior’s their first win. Manish Giri was declared the Player of the Match for his blistering batting performance.