The Bhutanese under-16 cricket team lost its first game against China in the Asian Cricket Council under-16 Eastern Region Cup, which began, today. Bhutan suffered a crushing 61 runs defeat, making the chances of entering the semifinals grim.
If history was anything to go by, this match against China should have been a walk in the park for the Bhutanese team. Until today’s defeat, Bhutan had lost only one match to China; be it men or women’s matches. The toss worked in China’s favor but bowling was what Bhutan had in mind. So, when China asked Bhutan to bowl first, there were no complaints in the Bhutanese camp.
Bhutan started strong with the ball. Captain Tshering Penjor managed to pick up four wickets in his spell of seven overs. Other bowlers chipped in with wickets at regular intervals and reduced China to 119 for the loss of nine wickets. China set a target of 120 runs for Bhutan.
In reply, shambolic batting performance from Bhutan continued from the practice matches. None of the Bhutanese players managed to score in double figuresduring the match. Bhutan was bowled out for a meager 58 runs. The defeat puts a huge dent to the semifinal hopes, and with a match scheduled against Singapore, tomorrow, the Bhutanese boys have to regain their confidence in time to avoid another embarrassment.
