Sita Rana Magar Propels Nepal to Thrilling Win on Action-Packed First Day
Malaysia began the game with a team hat-trick before Sita Rana Magar rescued the innings with a composed 38* not out that guided her team to a final total of 84. Chasing a seemingly manageable score, Malaysia reduced the equation to 15 runs needed off 22 balls. Yet, a direct hit from Rana Magar would prove to be the turning point in a memorable five-run win.
The two other fixtures in Group A saw UAE’s bowlers bowl Bhutan out for 32 in a dominant nine-wicket win before skipper Deepika Rasangika’s 74* helped Bahrain ace a chase of 119 against Qatar.
In Group B’s fixtures, Kuwait defended 83 against China and Hong Kong beat Myanmar by ten wickets in a chase of 70.
Group A
Malaysia vs Nepal
After winning the toss and choosing to bowl, Malaysia decimated Nepal’s top order. Ainna Hamizah struck off the first two balls of the game, getting Kajal Shrestha caught by Mas Elysa before bowling Samjhana Khadka. Captain Winifred Duraisingam ran out Indu Barma with a direct hit to leave Nepal scoreless for the loss of three wickets.
In spite of scoring just one boundary in her innings of 38*, Rana Magar batted through the innings, pushing Nepal’s score to a respectable 84 for six with the help of Apsari Begam’s useful knock of 17.
Chasing 85 to win, Malaysia lost Wan Julia early when she skied Kabita Kunwar into the hands of Rubina Chhetry. Ainna Hamizah swept Khushi Dangol away for the first boundary of the innings in the sixth over to push the score to 20.
Duraisingam kept the scoreboard ticking after losing her partner, benefitting from a misfield to pick up her first boundary off a cut shot.
And then came the turning point. Even after Rana Magar’s brilliant direct hit, which ran Mahirah Izzati out for 9, Malaysia required rate stood at just a shade over four an over. Duraisingam, however, dragged the next ball from Kabita Joshi straight into the hands of Khadka to get dismissed for 28.
Malaysia could not manage another boundary for the rest of the innings as Nepal celebrated a famous win. Sita Rana Magar earned the Player of the Match award for her gritty knock and brilliance in the field.
Brief Scores:
Nepal 84/6 in 20 Overs (Sita Rana Magar 38*, Begam 17, Ainna Hamizah 2-14) beat Malaysia 79/9 in 20 Overs (Duraisingam 28, Joshi 2-5, Kunwar 2-10) by 5 Runs
UAE vs Bhutan
After electing to bat first, Bhutan had no answer for UAE skipper Chaya Mughal who bowled both Ngawang Choden and Tshering Zangmo either side of trapping Yeshey Choden in front.
UAE continued to target the stumps as Suraksha Kotte disturbed the timber of both Sonam Choden and Dechen Wangmo to leave Bhutan reeling at 12 for five in the seventh over. Anju Gurung chipped in with an unbeaten knock of 10, which included the only boundary of the innings. Yet, she couldn’t prevent Bhutan getting rolled over for 32 in the sixteenth over. Eventual Player of the Match Vaishnave Mahesh cleaned up the tail with three wickets, conceding just seven runs.
In spite of losing fellow opener Lavanya Keny early for a duck, Esha Oza batted through the innings, scoring 14 to seal the chase in the fourth over.
Brief Scores:
UAE 33/1 in 3.4 Overs (Oza 14*, Sonam 1-24) beat Bhutan 32/10 in 15.4 Overs (Gurung 10*, Mahesh 3-7, Mughal 3-8) by 9 wickets
Qatar vs Bahrain
Soon after electing to bat, Qatar was in an early spot of bother, getting reduced to 24 for two in the seventh over.
Skipper Aysha, however, struck four boundaries in a 32-ball 41 to push her team past 100 in the 18th over. Pavithra Shetty shone with figures of 1-12 in her four overs to go along with the run out of Aysha, which helped Bahrain restrict their opposition to 116 for seven.
In spite of Bahrain losing an early wicket, Deepika Rasangika never panicked. She began her innings by swiping Hiral Agarwal into the leg side boundary before taking two fours off Aysha’s first over. She repeated the dose off Sabeeja Panayan, pushing the score to 48 for one after seven overs.
Wickets continued to fall from the other end, yet this did not stop Rasangika, who stitched together an unbeaten stand of 18 with Shetty to seal the chase with ten balls to spare.
Brief Scores:
Bahrain 119/5 in 18.2 Overs (Rasangika 74*, Shetty 9*, Agarwal 2-14) beat Qatar 116/7 in 20 Overs (Aysha 41, Panayan 23, Sadamali Arachchige 2-18) by 5 Wickets
Group B
Hong Kong vs Myanmar
Mariko Hill and Natasha Miles struck 33* and 28*, respectively to make short work of a target of 70 against Bhutan.
Earlier in the day, Hong Kong’s decision to bowl first paid dividends. After a stubborn first-wicket stand of 33 between Lin Lin Tun and Khin Min Myat, Iqra Sahar trapped the former in front and skipper Kary Chan had the latter caught by Shanzeen Shahzad.
In spite of Maryam Bibi snaring three wickets in the second half of the innings, Myanmar, to their credit, avoided a collapse and batted out their overs with Zin Tharaphy Kyaw ending not out on 14.
Yet, a total of 69 for six did little to test Hong Kong who now sits atop the Group B standings.
Brief Scores:
Hong Kong 70/0 in 11.4 Overs (Hill 33*, Miles 28*) beat Myanmar 69/6 in 20 Overs (Myat 17, Kyaw 14*, Bibi 3-13, Kary Chan 2-9) by 10 wickets
Kuwait vs China
After being put into bat, Kuwait lost both skipper Amna Sharif and Priyada Murali inside the first four over, the latter caught and bowled by Qian Xu.
Maryam Omar rebuilt the innings, scoring 16 off 21. Yet, after she was bizarrely dismissed hit wicket, Kuwait were once again in a spot of bother at 39 for four in the 11th over. Walking in at seven Siobhan Gomez, struck 25 off 27 balls to rescue her team and set China a target of 84.
Kuwait came out in the second innings with all guns blazing. Maria Jasvi bowled Mingue Zhu and trapped Lili Han in front either side of Mariamma Hyder taking a return catch to send Yue Chen packing for a golden duck. Maryam Omar dismantled China’s middle order with three wickets, including Lili Zheng and Xiuli Jin to reduce the opposition to 26 for five in the tenth over.
Yuanyuan Cai struck two boundaries in a knock of 12. Nevertheless, her brief resistance could not prevent China from getting rolled over for 53 in 16 overs.
Brief Scores:
Kuwait 83/10 in 20 Overs (Gomez 25, Omar 16, Qian Xu 3-7) beat China 53/10 in 16 Overs (Cai 12, Omar 3-9) by 30 Runs
The top two teams from the Asia Qualifier will progress to the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier. The top two from the Global Qualifier will earn their spot at the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup to be held in Bangladesh.