Sarpang has won the inaugural edition of the Under-16 Girls’ District Cricket Championship. They defeated Thimphu in the final today.
Five districts of Thimphu, Paro, Punakha, Wangdue Phodrang, and Sarpang took part in the week-long tournament.
The girls from Sarpang were in high spirits having comprehensively beaten Thimphu during the group stages. Thimphu girls were also high in confidence as they opted to bat first after winning the toss.
Sarpang bowlers struggled to get any wickets as Thimphu went on scoring runs. At the end of the alloted 10 overs, Thimphu set up a target of 72 runs for their counterpart to chase. Both the opening batters, Dechen Dema and Eva Somsel, remained not out on 30 and 21 runs respectively.
While defending their target, unlike Sarpang, Thimphu managed to pick up several wickets. The tense match boiled down to the final over of the match with Sarpang requiring nine runs of just six balls.
The first two balls of the last over saw a runout and a dot ball. The third ball saw a single taken. However, on the fourth ball, a missfield led to a boundary conceding four runs.
Sarpang again managed to steal a single courtesy a wicket-keeping error. With two runs required off the last ball, Sarpang did the unthinkable, winning the final from a losing position.
“Today’s match was a bit tough but our players are strong and that’s why we were able to defeat them,” Yangka Dema of team Sarpang said.
“We did panic a little towards the end with two runs required off two balls. We are happy we did not lose a single match in the tournament.”
Some tears were shed but Thimphu has themselves to blame for dropping some crucial catches and missfields during the crucial stages of the match.
At the presentation ceremony, Thimphu took most of the individual awards.
Dechen Pelmo was awarded the best batter, while her teammate, Dechen Selden, got the best bowler award.
Eva Somsel took away the player of the tournament award for her exploits with the bat in the tournament.
Pema Yangchen from Sarpang got the best wicket-keeper award, while 10-year- old, Tenzin Tashi Yangdel, from Punakha took home the emerging player of the tournament award.
Medals and trophy were awarded to the winner and runners-up.
“I am happy our teammates got the best batter and bowler award. On the other hand, we are sad to have come thus far and lost. We could not perform when it mattered,” Eva Somsel Yangzom of team Thimphu said.
The tournament saw 70 girls take part in it.
As part of the tournament, the players also attended advocacy programmes on adolescents and women’s health.
The Bhutan Cricket Council organised the tournament funded by the UNICEF.
