Nestled as it is in the heart of the Himalayas, for centuries none but the most intrepid made it through the steep mountain passes to reach proudly independent Bhutan. Archery being the national sport guaranteed the country considerable protection against invaders. But the Bhutanese were helpless before the onslaught of electromagnetic waves carrying television signals.

Starting in 2001, Indian television started threading its way through the highlands and in its wake came an appreciation for movies, soap operas and cricket. “Cricket caught on just because of STAR TV and Doordarshan,” says ACC Development Officer for Bhutan Roger Binny.

Out of a population of 2.2 million only 200 or so are active cricketers, though the numbers are rising. The biggest ground in the capital Thimphu (2.3 km above sea level) isn’t quite big enough for ICC-sanctioned cricket but serves its purpose in training the national senior and youth teams. They even play in the winter months, braving intermittent sleet and snow.

Wherever they are, wherever they play, the cricketers retain a unique Bhutanese flavour. All batsmen bow their heads in supplication to the cricketing gods before taking the field. “We do not pray for victory”, says national captain Damber Singh Gurung, “we pray for each other to give our best and to emerge complete from the competition.” The Dechephu Lhakhang temple in Thimphu is the spiritual home of Bhutan Cricket and cricketers visit before every tournament to invoke the protecting deities.

The team itself, as evidenced by their performances in Asian Cricket Council age-group competitions last year, is on the up. Finalists in the ACC U-15 and U-19 Challenge Cups they show the virtues of good skills, sound technique and hunger for victory. The team personnel are virtually the same for every tournament they play from and when they're not playing bigger, faster, stronger opponents more versed in cricket, Bhutan invariably triumph.