June 4 (Reuters) - The Cricket Association of Nepal apologised after its players got a Bhutan batter 'timed out' in Thursday's ACC Women's Premier Cup match, saying the dismissal was within the laws but did not reflect the spirit of the game it wanted to uphold.
Bhutan's Ritshi Choden, coming on at number three after opener Ngawang Choden was bowled out off the first ball of the innings, was not at the crease within the stipulated two minutes after the fall of the previous wicket, leading to the Nepal players appealing for dismissal.
The dismissal left Bhutan reeling at 0-2 after the first ball, chasing a target of 114 in the Twenty20 match. Bhutan could only score 62-8 in their 20 overs, as Nepal won their second straight Group D match in Mantin, Malaysia.
"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," the national body said in a statement.
"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 recognise that the spirit of the game extends beyond the written laws and must remain central to our conduct at all times."
The rare 'timed out' dismissal has often been hotly debated, with some considering it against the spirit of the game to appeal for a batter's dismissal over the breach of the strict two-minute time limit mandated by the ICC.
Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews was the first batter to be 'timed out' in international cricket at the 50-over World Cup in 2023 when his helmet strap broke as he was coming on to bat against Bangladesh and asked for a replacement, which delayed him.
(Reporting by Chiranjit Ojha in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
