Bhutan’s Sonam Yeshey Sets New T20I Record with Historic Eight-Wicket Haul

Bhutan’s Sonam Yeshey Sets New T20I Record with Historic Eight-Wicket Haul

Bhutan left-arm spinner Sonam Yeshey etched his name into cricket history on Friday by becoming the first bowler ever to take eight wickets in a T20 match, international or domestic.

The 22-year-old achieved the remarkable feat during the third T20I against Myanmar in Gelephu, producing extraordinary figures of 8 for 7 from his four overs. His spell dismantled Myanmar for just 45 runs in reply to Bhutan’s total of 127 for 9, sealing a dominant victory in what has been a one-sided series.

Yeshey’s performance took him clear of all previous benchmarks in T20 cricket. Before his achievement, the best figures in men’s T20 internationals were seven-wicket hauls, achieved only twice—by Malaysia’s Syazrul Idrus, who claimed 7 for 8 against China in 2023, and Bahrain’s Ali Dawood, who took 7 for 19 against Bhutan earlier this year. Across all men’s T20 matches, only two other seven-wicket hauls had been recorded, by Colin Ackermann in England’s T20 Blast in 2019 and by Bangladesh pacer Taskin Ahmed in the Bangladesh Premier League in 2025.

In women’s T20 cricket, the best bowling figures remain 7 for 0, achieved by Indonesia’s Rohmalia against Mongolia in 2024. Three other seven-wicket hauls have been recorded in women’s T20 internationals, with a further four in domestic T20 matches.

Yeshey’s latest performance underlined his growing influence in the series, which concludes on Monday. He has now taken 12 wickets in four matches against Myanmar, playing a central role in Bhutan’s dominance.

The left-arm spinner made his T20I debut in July 2022 against Malaysia and impressed immediately with figures of 3 for 16. While his wickets have not always come in such volume, the record-breaking display has significantly boosted his career tally, taking him to 37 wickets from 34 T20 internationals.

Yeshey’s historic eight-wicket haul marks a landmark moment not only for Bhutanese cricket but for the T20 format worldwide, redefining what is possible in the shortest form of the game.