A Bhutanese spinner rewrote history when he became the first bowler to take eight wickets in a Twenty20 International cricket match.
Lefty Sonam Yeshey, 22, scripted the record-breaking performance in Bhutan’s third T20I game against Myanmar last Friday in Gelphu Mindfulness City.
Yeshey soloes into the record books
Yeshey broke the record set by Syazrul Idrus (7 for 8 for Malaysia against China in 2023) and Ali Dawood (7 for 19 for Bahrain against Bhutan in 2025).
He also upstaged club seven-fors by Colin Ackermann (7 for 18 for Leicestershire against Birmingham Bears in 2019) and Taskin Ahmed (7 for 19 for Durbar Rajshahi against Dhaka Capitals in 2025).
The women’s bowling record in a T20I, meanwhile, is seven, with Indonesian Rohmalia claiming 7 for 0 against Mongolia in 2024.
Aside from Rohmalia, three other female bowlers also posted seven-fors.
They were Frederique Overdijk of Netherlands (7-3 against France), Argentina’s Alison Stocks (7-3 against Peru) and Samanthi Dunukedeniya (7-19 against Czech Republic) of Cyprus.
Yeshey now has 12 wickets from four matches at this point and 37 wickets from 34 T20Is since he made his T20I debut in July 2022 against Malaysia.
The haul also improved his average to 17.37 and his economy rate to 5.69.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Cricket news: ‘Not a great Test wicket,’ says Cook as 20 Ashes wickets tumble on day one
Yeshey’s record haul dismantles Myanmarese opposition
The young bowler’s feat stopped the Myanmarese side’s bid to chase Bhutan’s 127-9 as they were bowled out for 45.
Bhutan Cricket hailed the achievement on social media, calling it “a spell for the ages” and confirming it as a world record.
Others described it as “built on relentless accuracy and clever changes of pace.”
Some also consider Yeshey’s bowling spell as “one of the most economical and destructive bursts ever witnessed in the 20-over game.”
The country’s coaching fraternity noted that the bowler’s preparation is concentrated on “tight lines, forcing false strokes, and staying mentally calm under pressure.”
The team’s camp branded the effort as a loud example that proves “discipline can be a bigger weapon than raw speed.”
Bhutan, an associate member of the International Cricket Council (ICC), has a total of 36 players, equally split across their men’s and women’s national sides.
Unlike other ICC associate members who represent their countries without pay, Bhutanese players are being paid via central contracts.
The South Asian nation’s cricket squad are currently ranked 77th in the ICC men’s T20 rankings while Myanmar are 95th.
READ NEXT: Depleted Manchester United edge past misfiring Newcastle
Angelica N. Hall 
Shameeka Voyiya 
Carmela Calling