Cricket Association of Nepal apologises for timed-out dismissal in ACC Women’s Premier Cup

Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has issued an apology, following the controversial timed-out dismissal of Bhutan women’s batter Ritshi Choden during the ACC Women’s T20I Premier Cup Group D match on Thursday, June 4. Chasing a target of 114 against Nepal women, Bhutan lost a wicket on the very first ball of their innings as Kabita Kunwar shattered Ngawang Choden’s stumps.

The early dismissal caught everyone off guard as none of the batters was ready to walk in to bat. After some delay, Ritshi Choden walked out to the middle, but Nepal wicketkeeper Rubi Poddar, along with the other players, went on to appeal for a timed-out dismissal. 

The umpires quickly got into action and adjudged Choden out, making her the first player in the history of women’s international cricket to be dismissed ‘timed out’. However, Cricket Association of Nepal have issued an apology in the aftermath of the dismissal, mentioning that it doesn’t reflect the values and the spirit of cricket, which they uphold.

NEP v BHU in the ACC Women's Premier Cup: Kabita Kunwar bowled Ngawang Choden off the first ball of the run chase, and Ritshi Choden was timed out for the scoreboard to read 0-2 (0.1) – as far as I can tell, the first timed out in WT20Is!https://t.co/UPK4pKCsmx pic.twitter.com/Pzi5PTqjKf

— Rahul (@exceedingxpuns) June 4, 2026

“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,” said CAN in a statement through their social media handles.

“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,” the statement added.

pic.twitter.com/mUgXdgqr4x

— CAN (@CricketNep) June 4, 2026

What does the law say?

According to MCC laws, which govern the game, “after the fall of a wicket or the retirement of a batter, the incoming batter must, unless Time has been called, be ready to receive the ball, or for the other batter to be ready to receive the next ball within 3 minutes of the dismissal or retirement. If this requirement is not met, the incoming batter will be out, timed out.”

There can be some variations in timing as per the tournament, and it’s mandatory for the batter to be ready to face the ball within the stipulated time limit. In the above case, since Bhutan’s Ritshi Choden failed to arrive at the crease in time to face the ball, she was adjudged timed out.

Meanwhile, Bhutan were restricted to 62/8 in their allotted 20 overs, handing Nepal a 51-run victory in the match.