True Warrior cricket club beat the Wangdue Radaps convincingly by eight wickets today at Jigmethang cricket ground to consolidate the fourth spot of the ongoing Bhutan T20 Smash 2022. Wangdue Radaps started poorly, losing Jigme Tenzin in the second over as he was bowled by Kezang Nima. Radaps lost their second as Ram Chandra Mongar was trapped infront LBW by Thukten Yoezer. Yeshi Wangdi was the second victim for Kezang Nima as he was also bowled out. Opening batsman Pema Dorji was the lone batsman who showed some resistance against the True Warriors bowlers as he started to collect some important runs for the team. Pema was well supported on the other end as Pema and Sangay Tenzin put together a 60 runs partnership for the next wicket. However, Sangay Tenzin lost his persistence and found his stumps “walk in the park” from a beauty from speedster, Yueyong Phuntsho. The long ranger Pema Dorji eventually brought up his maiden half century (70 off 68 balls) before Kezang Nima came back for his last over to bowl him out for his third wicket. Kezang Nima went on to get his fourth wicket as Deki Phuntsho’s valuable 24 runs off 21 balls came to an end. Wangdue Radap’s set a 155 runs target in their 20 overs. In the second innings, Wangdue Radap bowlers were taken aback by openers Kinga Loday and Manish as the two added 54 for the opening partnership before Manish was caught and bowled by Yeshi Wangdi. No other bowlers seemed to trouble the two batsmen as Kinga Loday and Tarun Kumar went on to add 93 runs partnership for the second wicket. Yeshi Wangdi was the only successful bowler as he came back to bowl out Tarun Kumar for his second wicket. Kinga Loday hit an unbeaten 76 off 53 balls to take his team to the top four who will now go on to play the Eliminator Round. Kezang Nima was declared the player of the match for his figure of 4/17 in four overs.
Knights win a thriller against Wangdue
Thimphu Knights escaped yet another scare as they went on to beat Wangdue Radaps by two runs in the afternoon match of the ongoing Bhutan T20 Smash 2022. Knights skipper Tandin Wangchuk elected to bat first against a decent bowling side of Wangdue Radaps. However, the batting plan back fired as Knights lost opener Sanjog Chhetri in the second over and it was Radap’s top wicket taker Kencho Chophel. Kencho Chophel went on to get rid of skipper Tandin Wangchuk caught by Pema Loday the next ball as Knights were pushed to a state of bother. Wickets kept falling on one side where Tashi Tshering (33 of 33 balls) on the other side was the only batsman who seemed comfortable inside. Tashi was ultimately bowled out trying to increase the run rate before they were bundled up for 118 with five overs remaining. Barun Wakhley (15 of 8 balls) and Karma Dorji (15 of 10 balls) were the other notable contributors. Thimphu Knight’s speedster Barun started brilliantly bowling out Wangdue Radap’s main batsman Ram Chandra Mongar in the second over. Barun took only two more deliveries to claim his second wicket in the form of Tsheltrim Yoezer caught by wicket-keeper Sanjog. Thimphu Knight’s Dawa went on to pick Jigme Tenzin caught by Suman Pradhan to give Knight’s their third wicket in the third over. The next stand of Deki Phuntsho and Pema Dorji added 27 runs before skipper Tandin trapped Deki LBW. Radap’s opender Pema Dorji looked good for his 23 before he was run-out in the ninth over. Wangdue Radap’s kept losing wickets at a regular interval, however, Radap’c managed to pick up some important runs and occasional boundaries in between. Sangay Tenzin (18 of 27 balls) and Pema Loday (20 of 15 balls) started to threaten the Knights before Pema Loday was bowled by Kinley Penjor. At the end of 19 over Wangdue needed only 15 runs to win as Tashi Tshering was given the responsibility to bowl the final over. Sangay and Neten Dorji pushed the Knight’s double runs of the first two balls. Neten Dorji smartly placed the next ball towards deep cover for a boundary as the Radap’s needed three runs of the last ball which the batsman failed giving Knights their second win from three games. Barun Wakhley was declared the Player of the Match. With the win the Thimphu Knights are placed third on the points table.
SKD All Stars down Radaps to take top spot
SKD All Stars oust Wangdue Radaps by 49 runs today at Jigmethang cricket ground, Thimphu to lead the points table of the ongoing Bhutan T20 Smash. Wangdue Radap’s were to blame themselves for the loss having restricted SKD All Stars earlier to chasable 137 all out in 20 overs. Wangdue Radap started brilliantly getting rid of SKD’s skipper Jigme N Dorji in the second over by a beauty of delivery from Kencho Chophel. Jigme’s opening partner Sanjeevan Rai didn’t last long as he was sent off by a beauty of a delivery from Wangdue’s pace sensation Pema Loday in the fifth over. It only took a delivery as new man Tshering Rigden was bowled out the very next ball by Pema Loday. The pace duo of Pema Loday and Kencho Chophel kept troubling the SKD batsmen with consistent line and length during which Kencho Chophel went on to get Tandin Wangdi caught at slips by Pema Dorji in the sixth over. Khendrup Jangchub (24 of 11 balls) and Tandin Penjor (22 of 27 balls) played a sensible innings adding 38 for the fifth wicket before Tandin Penjor was run out credit to a direct hit on the stumps from Ram Kumar Rai. SKD’S Jigme Wangchuk (33 of 29 balls) and Yowon Pradhan (29 of 22 balls) started to rebuilt the innings with some sensible batting playing mostly on the ground and getting the occasional boundary as the two went on to add 55 runs for the seventh wicket partnership before Wangdue’s quick Deki Phuntsho caused havoc through the SKD remaining batsmen and picking up the first hattrick of the tournament in Jigme Wangchuk, Yowon Pradhan and Bishal Ghalley in the seventh over. Pema Loday bowled Tashi Chophel in the 19th over to give Radaps 138 runs to chase. The second innings was all about SKD All Star as the Wangdue Radaps struggled to find any answers to SKD’s young pace attack. Radap’s skipper Ram Chandra Mongar was send back in the first over, caught by Sanjeevan in the slips off Tashi Chophel. Next batsman Tsheltrim Yoezer joined the skipper back in pavilion as he was bowled out with brilliant delivery from Tashi Chophel. Sangay Tenzin (19 runs) and Deki Phuntsho (13 runs) were the only notable run getters as rest of the batsman failed to score in double digits. Wangdue Radap’s were wrapped up for 88 as SKD All star win by 49 and take the top spot on the points table. SKD All Star pace sensation Tashi Chophel was named the player of the match.