CRICKET – BAHRAIN emerged victorious against hosts Malaysia by 35 runs yesterday in a tightly contested match of the Malaysia T20I Tri-Series.
Held at the Bayuemas Oval, the contest was a testament to Bahrain’s resilience and disciplined performance, with Sohail Ahmed being named the Player of the Match for his crucial half-century.
Winning the toss, Malaysia elected to bowl first, hoping to exploit the early morning conditions. Bahrain’s innings got off to a rocky start as they lost Prashant Kurup and Asif Ali early, both falling to Pavandeep Singh. Fiaz Ahmed and Sohail Ahmed then steadied the ship, with Sohail Ahmed playing a pivotal role. He scored a well-crafted 54 off 46 balls, including one four and three sixes, anchoring the innings and ensuring Bahrain posted a competitive total.
Junaid Aziz provided valuable support with a brisk 36 off 40 balls, but the lower order struggled against Malaysia’s bowlers. Syed Aziz was the pick of the bowlers for Malaysia, claiming three wickets for 26 runs, while Pavandeep Singh and Muhammad Wafiq Irfan Zarbani also chipped in with crucial wickets.
Bahrain managed to reach 126 for nine in their 20 overs, a total that seemed challenging on a tricky pitch.
In response, Malaysia’s chase never gained momentum as they lost wickets at regular intervals. Syed Aziz and Ahmad Faiz fell early, and despite brief resistance from Vijay Unni Suresh, who scored 28 off 24 balls, the Malaysian batting lineup crumbled under pressure.
Sharvin Muniyandy contributed 19 runs, but the rest of the batsmen failed to make significant contributions.
Bahrain’s bowlers were exceptional, with Ali Dawood leading the charge, taking three wickets for just 13 runs. Imran Javed Anwar and Abdul Majid Abbasi also bowled economically, picking up two wickets each. Malaysia was bowled out for 91 in 18.4 overs, falling short of the target by 35 runs.
Bahrain’s disciplined bowling and Sohail Ahmed’s crucial innings were the highlights of the match, securing them a well-deserved victory. Malaysia, on the other hand, will need to address their batting inconsistencies to bounce back in the series.
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