Bhutan's Sonam Yeshey Sets New T20I Record With 8 Wickets For 7 Runs
Yeshey made his debut in T20Is against Malaysia in July 2022. In his first match, he picked up three wickets for 16 runs. Since then, Yeshey has remained a pivotal part of the Bhutan bowling lineup.
Sonam Yeshey, a 22-year-old left-arm spinner from Bhutan, has created a new record after emerging as the first bowler to take eight wickets in a T20 International game.
During the third T20I against Myanmar in Gelephu Mindfulness City, Bhutan, on Dec. 26, Yeshey ran through the top order to end with eight wickets for seven runs in his four overs. This marks the first such achievement in the shortest format of the game.
In the match last week, Myanmar were bowled out for 45 while chasing Bhutan's 127 for 9 wickets.
Bhutan registered a remarkable 5-0 victory in the T20 series. Yeshey picked 13 wickets in the series.
"History made. Bhutan's Sonam Yeshey rewrites the record books with a WORLD RECORD bowling spell! The left-arm orthodox magician claimed 8/7 in 4 overs against Myanmar today," read a post by the official X handle of Bhutan Cricket on Dec. 26.
Who is Sonam Yeshey?
Yeshey made his debut in T20Is against Malaysia in July 2022. In his first match, he picked up three wickets for 16 runs. Since then, Yeshey has remained a pivotal part of the Bhutan bowling lineup.
So far, he has 38 wickets in 35 matches.
Bowling Records In T20I
Prior to this, only two bowlers managed to pick seven wickets in men's T20Is: Syazrul Idrus (7 for 8) and Ali Dawood (7 for 19). While Idrus took seven wickets for Malaysia against China in 2023, Dawood picked the same number of wickets for Bahrain against Bhutan earlier this year.
Away from international fixtures, seven wickets have been picked twice in T20 matches. Colin Ackermann got seven for 18 when playing for Leicestershire against Birmingham Bears in 2019 and Taskin Ahmed ended up at seven for 19 while representing Durbar Rajshahi against Dhaka Capitals in 2025, as per ESPNCricinfo.
In women's cricket, four bowlers have picked up a seven-wicket haul in T20I cricket. The best T20I bowling figures are 7 for 0, by Indonesia's Rohmalia, while playing against Mongolia last year.
The others include Frederique Overdijk (7/3 for the Netherlands against France), Alison Stocks (7/3 for Argentina against Peru) and Samanthi Dunukedeniya (7/15 for Cyprus against the Czech Republic).
