CRICKET. Canada finally came across a side that had the formula to take them apart and as surprising as cricket results get after posting two scores below 130 Malaysia turned out to be nightmares.
The highest partnership in the Canada innings was 38 for the third wicket by Daliwal 19(37) and D. Pathirana 28(64) after openers Adhihetty 13(24) and Nitish Kumar 11(15) had gone early to opening bowlers Linayage and Wafiq.
Canada Captain Nitish Kumar conceded but said the defeat was a lesson.
“I Thought Today was a pretty tough day; We didn’t play well in any facet of the game, both batting and bowling, just need to get that out of the way, learn something, we’d have liked to win the game but it’s part of the game, tomorrow come back strong, improve on batting and bowling,” Kumar said.
Pavandeep Singh run out the dangerous looking Pathirana and trapped Junaid Siqqiqui to shake up the Canadian middle order. His brother Virandeep saw off the dangerous Cheema to leave Canada with a major rebuilding job to do at 95/7.
Saad Bin Zafar 16(49) and Nikhil Dhutta 30(60) fought back grafting a useful 44 for the eighth wicket to carry Canada past 100 and into the 130s but Malaysia finished the job when Khizar Hayat picked Dutta and Virandeep had Saad Zafar stumped. Canada eventually went all-out for a measly 141, their lowest in four games at the tournament.
Malaysia Captain Ahmed Faiz said: “We beat a top team, Canada, this is a start for us. We are very happy, hopefully tomorrow will be the best for us and we can win again.”
Malaysia chipped away 19 runs in the short batting session before lunch break, for the price of one wicket but with Ahmed beginning to look like the well-groomed batsman that he is and the dangerous Arudin to attack after lunch, Malaysia always had the age chasing a sub 150 score.
After the Lunch break, Anwar Arudin 48(77) was expected to counter attack and he came after Canada’s bowlers with obvious intent, scoring four boundaries and two sixes. His second wicket partnership with Faiz was worth 72 at a comfortable four runs per over.
When Nitish Kumar had Arudin caught behind, Malaysia needed 60, but lost key batsman Virandeep Singh early.
Faiz 49 (90) remained the lynchpin of the run chase and helped guide Malaysia home for a huge scalp in the tournament; putting on 56 for the fourth wicket with Shafiq Sharif 22(42) to guide Malaysia home.
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