Bhutan’s under-19 cricket team is preparing for the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Eastern Region Cup. The tournament which will be hosted by the Malaysian Cricket Association will start on September 10.
A practice match is currently underway within the team to gear up for the upcoming tournament. The young boys will be looking to step up their game as they prepare to face strong and proven teams.
Bhutan is placed in group A along with Nepal, Singapore, and Thailand. Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, and Myanmar will battle it out in group B.
With limited time given for preparations and relatively young age of the team, coach Kumar Subba is asking the players to stick to the basics.
“Whatever we know we are playing that by keeping it simple. They all are positive,” he said. “We have nothing to lose but still then to win against us they have to play better cricket. We are not going to give easy win.”
The players were selected from five districts based on their performance during the district tournament held last winter.
“We are trying our best. We don’t think about not being able to do it,” Captain Tashi Phuntsho said. “We know each other well and have good spirit and coordination within the team.”
The team will leave for Thailand on September 4 to practice and get acclimatised to the weather.