Who is Sonam Yeshey? Bhutan Spinner Becomes First Bowler to Claim 8-Wicket Haul in T20Is

Bhutanese spinner Sonam Yeshey made T20I history with 8/7 against Myanmar, becoming the first to take eight wickets in a match. His feat helped Bhutan complete a 5-0 series whitewash and made Yeshey the nation’s all-time leading T20I wicket-taker.

Bhutan spinner Soman Yeshey scripted a historic feat in the third T20I of the recently concluded five-match T20I series against Myanmar on Friday, December 26. Bhutan whiteswashed Myanmar by winning all five matches of the recently concluded T20I series, dominating the contests across batting and bowling throughout the series.

In the final T20I, Bhutan completed a series whitewash with a convincing 84-run win over Myanmar on Friday. After posting a total of 139/8, thanks to a half-century by Tenjin Rabgey (74 off 56 balls), Myanmar were restricted to just 55/8 in 20 overs, with Ko Ko Lin Thu top-scoring 24 off 39 balls. Except for Ko Ko Lin Thu, the remaining batters of the visiting team failed to score double-digit runs, with the second-highest score being 8 by Khin Aye.

Tashi Phuntsho led Bhutan’s bowling attack with figures of 2/8 at an economy rate of 2 in his spell of four overs, while Tashi Dorji, Namgay Thinley, Sonam Yeshey, Karma Dorji, and Tenzin Wangchuk picked a wicket.

Sonam Yeshey Enters the History Books of Records

As Bhutan clinched the five-match T20I series over Myanmar, spinner Sonam Yeshey has scripted his name in the history of T20Is. In the third match of the series, the 22-year-old talented bowler achieved a rare feat of becoming the first bowler to scalp 8 wickets in a T20I match. Yeshey registered an eight-wicket haul to skittle out Myanmar for just 45 to seal the series for Bhutan.

Sonam Yeshey rattled the Myanmar batting line-up in their 128-run chase, dismantling the top, middle, and lower order with precision. He finished with historic figures of 8/7 in four overs at an economy rate of 1.80. The previous record for most wickets in a single T20I match was jointly held by Malaysian pacer Syazrul Idrus and Bahraini seam bowler Ali Dawood, who picked seven wickets each.

Sonam Yeshey’s figures of 8/7 in four overs are the best in the history of T20I, making him the first bowler to claim eight wickets in the format at the international level. His figures are also best in T20 cricket overall, surpassing all previous performances in domestic and international matches, setting a new benchmark for bowlers in the shortest format of the game.

Sonam Yeshey was the standout bowler of the recently concluded T20I series between Bhutan and Myanmar, with 13 wickets, including an 8-wicket haul, at an average of 4.85 and conceded just 63 in his spell of 18 overs in five matches, finishing the series as the leading wicket-taker and earning widespread acclaim for his record-breaking performance.

Who is Soman Yeshey?

Bhutan spinner Soman Yeshey earned his name for his record-breaking performance in the third T20I against Myanmar, but he has been steadily making his mark in Bhutan cricket with his consistent performances. Yeshey played for Bhutan in U19 cricket before representing the senior side in 2022.

Over the past three years, Sonam Yeshey has emerged as one of the reliable bowlers for Bhutan, delivering consistent and match-winning performances in T20Is. The spinner has only played T20Is, as ODI cricket is not yet a regular part of Bhutan’s schedule, but his performances in the shortest format have made him a key player for the national side.

Currently, Yeshey is the leading wicket-taker for Bhutan in T20Is, scalping 38 wickets, including a four-wicket and a fifer, at an average of 17.11 and an economy rate of 5.55 in 35 matches. His 13 wickets in the recently concluded T20I series against Myanmar helped him overtake Tenzin Wangchuk’s current tally of 33 wickets in 36 matches, making Sonam Yeshey Bhutan’s all-time leading wicket-taker in T20Is.

At just the age of 22, Sonam Yeshey has already established himself as a cornerstone of Bhutan’s bowling attack, combining consistency, skill, and the ability to produce match-winning performances, and setting new benchmarks for the team in T20Is.