In a rare and highly controversial moment in women’s international cricket, Bhutan’s Ritshi Choden became the first batter to be dismissed ‘timed out’ during a T20I match. The unprecedented incident occurred on the first ball of Bhutan’s run chase against Nepal in the ACC’s Women’s T20I Premier Cup 2026 in Mantin, Malaysia.
The incident marked the first-ever instance of a ‘timed-out’ dismissal in the history of women’s international cricket history, thrusting the age-old debate over the ‘spirit of the game’ back into the global spotlight.
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How The Drama Unfolded
The unusual incident took place at the Kolej Tuanku Ja’Afar Ground during the very first over of Bhutan’s chase of 114 runs on Thursday, June 4. Bhutan suffered an immediate setback when opener Ngawang Choden was dismissed on the very first ball of the run chase. Ritshi Choden, slated to bat at number three, was seemingly caught off guard by the swift wicket.
Choden was observed jogging toward the pitch while still carrying her helmet and gloves. She then briefly paused to speak with the square-leg umpire. Sensing a strictly technical violation, the Nepalese fielders converged, and an appeal was made and umpires Sun Meng Yao and Ankita Guha upheld it under the timed-out law. Choden walked off without protest.
After Choden’s controversial dismissal, Bhutan found themselves at 0/2 after just one delivery and never truly recovered from the psychological and tactical blow. Chasing 114, they were restricted to a meager 62 for 8 in their 20 overs, handing Nepal a comfortable 51-run victory to put them at the top of Group D.
The Law And Spirit Of The Game
Notably, the timed-out rule requires a new batter to be ready to face the next ball within 90 seconds (in T20Is) after a dismissal. This was only the second instance in men’s or women’s international cricket – the first was Sri Lanka’s Angelo Mathews against Bangladesh in the 2023 ODI World Cup.
While fully legal, the controversial nature of the dismissal prompted an immediate wave of backlash on social media and sparked debate about sportsmanship. The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) issued an official apology shortly after the match.
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Public Apology From Nepal
Recognizing the public discomfort, the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) took the rare step of releasing an official, formal apology a few hours after the match concluded.
CAN apologised to “Bhutan cricket, the player involved and all relevant stakeholders”, saying that the incident was not in line with “the spirit of cricket it strives to uphold”.
“The incident involving the timed-out dismissal of a Bhutanese batter during today’s match does not reflect the values and spirit of cricket that the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) strives to uphold. On behalf of the Cricket Association of Nepal, we extend our sincere apologies for the actions of our Women’s National Team in this matter. While the dismissal was effected within the Laws of Cricket, we recognize that the spirit of the game extends beyond the written laws and must remain central to our conduct at all times,” CAN said in a statement.
“As a developing cricketing nation, we place the utmost importance on sportsmanship, mutual respect, and fair play. We acknowledge that this incident has fallen short of those standards and regret any disappointment it may have caused. We convey our sincere apologies to Bhutan Cricket, the player concerned, and all relevant stakeholders. CAN remains firmly committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity and the spirit of cricket, both on and off the field,” it added.
This incident brings fresh focus to the balance between strict rule enforcement and the traditional ethos of cricket, especially as the sport expands globally. Whether future timed-out appeals will be pursued in similar situations remains to be seen.
With this match, Ritshi Choden, a regular in Bhutan’s women’s team, now holds an unwanted historical record in international cricket.
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