Historic first in T20Is! Bhutan spinner stuns cricket world with astonishing 8-wicket haul
Bhutan left-arm spinner Sonam Yeshey, who made his T20I debut in July 2022 against Malaysia, achieved the remarkable feat against Myanmar.
Bhutan's left-arm spinner Sonam Yeshey entered the history books in a recent match by becoming the first bowler to pick up eight wickets in a T20 match (international or domestic). The 22-year-old cricketer achieved the remarkable feat in the third T20I against Myanmar in Gelephu, Bhutan, on Friday.
Yeshey bowled an astonishing spell of 8/7 from his quota of four overs, bundling Myanmar out for just 45 during their run-chase of Bhutan's total of 127/9.
It has been a one-sided series between the two Asian minnows. Yeshey was one of the top performers in the series with wickets across four matches.
The Bhutan spin-bowling sensation made his T20I debut in July 2022 against Malaysia and bagged 3/16 in his maiden international match. Following the eight-wicket haul, Yeshey's tally has swelled to 37 wickets in 34 T20 internationals.
Revisiting the stunning spells in T20 cricket
Before Yeshey delivered the outstanding performance, the best figures in men's T20 internationals belonged to Syazrul Idrus (7/8 for Malaysia against China in 2023) and Ali Dawood (7/19 for Bahrain against Bhutan in 2025).
There have been only two instances of seven-wicket hauls. Yeshey's stunning display was the first time a bowler has taken eight wickets in a T20 match.
In non-international games, seven-wicket hauls have been recorded twice. Colin Ackermann (7/18 for Leicestershire against Birmingham Bears in 2019) and Taskin Ahmed (7/19 for Durbar Rajshahi against Dhaka Capitals in 2025) are the only two bowlers to achieve the feat.
In women's cricket, the best bowling figures belong to Indonesia's Rohmalia, who bowled a remarkable spell of 7/0 against Mongolia in 2024. To date, this remains the best bowling figures in women's T20Is and T20s.
There have been other instances when bowlers have bagged seven-wicket hauls in women's T20 internationals. Frederique Overdijk (7/3 for the Netherlands vs France), Alison Stocks (7/33 for Argentina vs Peru), and Samanthi Dunukedeniya (7/15 for Cyprus vs the Czech Republic) have also achieved the astonishing feat of picking up seven wickets in a T20 match.