The highly anticipated Bhutan T20 International Quadrangular Series begins tomorrow, marking Bhutan’s first time hosting an international cricket tournament. Teams from Indonesia, Thailand, and the Maldives have arrived in Gelephu, with all four teams completing their official training sessions today at the Gelephu International Cricket Ground. As excitement grows, the captains of each team say they are confident in their preparations and readiness for the tournament.
The teams have worked hard in the lead-up to the tournament, adapting to local conditions and familiarising themselves with the venue.
The Bhutanese team has also trained intensively, with high hopes for a strong performance.
Captain Thinley Jamtsho said that the tournament represents a significant milestone for the players as they prepare to compete on home soil against experienced international teams.
“The boys are very excited. They have prepared well. We have been preparing in Thimphu indoors for the past one month now as a team. And I am sure they will deliver on the day. If we really bat well, we will surely reach the final.”
Meanwhile, the other captains expressed equal excitement about the tournament in Bhutan, stating they are here to compete for the win.
The Thai captain said that his team is well-prepared and boasts players capable of making a real impact.
Austin Lazarus, the captain said “We have been preparing for the last two and a half months. One month. We had a camp in back in Thailand. It was a fitness camp. And one month we had a camp in India in Pune. We had a good session building up to this tournament.”
Similarly, the Maldivian side, led by captain Yoosuf Azyan Farhath, is determined to take the trophy back home to the Maldives.
Yoosuf Azyan Farhath, captain of the Maldives said “Almost all the boys are quite talented and brings, different variety to the team. So, especially our openers are quite destructive. And our opening bowlers, they, they’re quite good.”
Indonesia, on the other hand, has been in the country for over 10 days to prepare for the series.
Danilson Johanis Hawoe, captain of Indonesia said “Well, the preparation is good. We’ve been here since the seventh and been at Thimphu. We did a couple of practice there and, we expected Gelephu to have same weather as in Thimphu, but here is warm. We feel good about that. And we did couple of practice here. We had two warmup matches against Bhutan. So, yeah, we feel ready now.”
This international tournament not only places Bhutan on the global cricketing map but also brings the sport closer to home for Bhutanese fans.
As the Bhutan T20 International Quadrangular series begins tomorrow, all four teams are gearing up for an exciting display of cricket. With Bhutan hosting an international tournament of this scale for the first time, the nation eagerly awaits to see which team will emerge victorious.
Sherub Dorji, Gelephu
