THAILAND WIN ICC WOMEN’S T20 WORLD CUP ASIA QUALIFIER
Thailand faced Nepal in Super Three stage of the Asia Qualifier in Bangkok with the victorious team in today’s match becoming the winners of the tournament. Both teams have already reached the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier as they had both already beaten UAE in the Super Three stage of the Asia Qualifier in Bangkok in which nine teams initially played in three groups.
Nepal captain Indu Barma talked yesterday of Nepal’s long journey stretching back 17 years that the have been playing cricket and this would be the first time they would play on the world stage.
In December 2008 Nepal played in the ACC U19 Women’s Championship held in Chiang Mai and they won every match with victories over Thailand in the semi-finals and Malaysia in the final.
Nannapat Khoncharoenkai of Thailand receives Player of the Tournament award during the post match presentation of the Super Three Match 3 of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier between Thailand Women and Nepal Women, held at Terdthai Cricket Ground, Bangkok, on 20 May 2025.
Photo by Anshuman Akash / @ICC
It looked as though Nepal were about to dominate women’s cricket in Asia outside the Full Member countries but they have so far been waiting 17 years to be able to claim this. It was not to be largely because Thailand won the 2013 ACC Women’s Championship in Chiang Mai and qualified for their first Global Qualifier and travelled to Ireland later that year.
Thailand have played in each Qualifier since then and even made it to the T20 World Cup held in Australia in 2020. UAE had made such steady progress that they had also made it to three global qualifiers and had hoped to make it to a fourth before yesterday’s setback.
Nepal never gave up over the last 17 years with Rubina Chhetry playing throughout that period New captain Indu Barna saw Nepal home to a five-wicket win over UAE the previous day to secure their place and Chhetry gave her invaluable support.
Today Nepal were looking to beat Thailand to win the Asia Qualifier but the home side were 31 for 0 after 5 overs after being asked to bat first.
Nattaya Boochatham was one of the players at the heart of Thailand’s success with both bat and ball but Thailand are now introducing younger players such as her opening partner Aphisara Suwanchonrathi who helped Thailand reach 34 in the powerplay as they again tried to establish a solid base.
The second boundary came in the seventh over but Boochatham hit the third in the next over and the 50 partnership was up. Aphisara was struggling with the heat so drinks were taken early but Thailand were 59 at the halfway stage.
Eleven runs came off the 11th over but Manisha Upadhayay who took four wickets against UAE with her left-arm spin has slowed the rate and Rajmati Airee claimed the first wicket with Aphisara out for 29 out of an opening partnership of 75.
Boochatham reached her second fifty in T20Is from 40 balls and Nannapat Khoncharoenkai started well as Thailand were 98 for 1 off 15. Khonchcharoenkai hit a trio of boundaries but Boochatham was caught at deep mid-wicket as Thailand lost their second wicket on 111.
Kunwar was back but another 12 runs were added in the 17th over and the same again from the 18th. Khoncharoenkai hit another pair of boundaries in the 19th over to move on to 48 and after Natthakan Chantam hit two fours Khoncharoenkai reached her 7th T20I fifty in 28 balls. The final total was 158 for 2 which is Thailand’s third best in T20Is.
Eleven runs came off the first over but left-arm spinner Thipatcha Putthawong struck in the second over as she removed the dangerous Samjhana Khadka lbw for 9. She followed with her seventh wicket of the tournament as Rubi Poddar also fell lbw. Nepal were 16 for 2 off 4 overs
Sutthiruang completed 3 overs with the new ball and Onnicha Kamchomphu came in the sixth over of the powerplay. She bowled Nepal captain Indu Barna as the third wicket fell at 30.
Suleeporn Laomi took the fourth wicket and Nepal were 34 for 4 in 10 overs with Kunwar still at the crease. Laomi finished her spell with 1 for 15 as the spinners were proving effective
The fifth wicket fell when Kunwar was run out for 24 as the bowler deflected the ball onto the stumps. Nepal were 54 for 5 after 15 overs.
Putthawong was back to bowl the 18th over and conceded a rare boundary. Rajmati Airee retired and Kamchomohu then took a hat-trick with the wickets of Roma Thapa, Ishwari Bist and Riya Sharma to finish with 4 for 11.
Naruemol Chaiwai of Thailand with the winning trophy during the Super Three Match 3 of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier between Thailand Women and Nepal Women, held at Terdthai Cricket Ground, Bangkok, on 20 May 2025.
Photo by Anshuman Akash / @ICC
Rubina Chhetry was standing firm with a boundary at the start of the 20th over but was caught off a full toss to give Putthawong figures of 3 for 14.
Nepal finished on 80 for 9 after 20 overs as Thailand confirmed their superiority with victory by 78 runs and won the 2025 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier. Thailand and Nepal will both play in the Global Qualifier where two places in the next ICC Women’s T20 World Cup held in England next year will be up for grabs.
Nannapat Khoncharoenkai was named player of the match for her brilliant fifty and she also won the player of the tournament award. Thiphatcha Putthawong was given the bowler of the tournament award with eight wickets and Esha Osha won the batter of the tournament award with 175 runs.
She was disappointed with her dismissal in the match against Nepal as UAE finished just a few runs short of a winning score but she is a fine player at this level and should be able to lead UAE to renewed success in women’s cricket.
She felt that UAE’s defeat yesterday had wasted two years of cricket but the Nepal story has shown that this will just be a temporary set back and UAE will have ODI cricket to look forward to forward for the first time. The countries at this level between 12 and 16 in the world all want to play 50-over cricket and they will have further opportunities to play more competitive T20 cricket as well.
There is much to look forward to for all three countries with Thailand maintaining their high standards and Nepal looking forward to their first global tournament. UAE will recover with several new players in their team and will develop their skills with good facilities and plenty of opportunity to play 20 and 50 over cricket.