BAHRAIN’S already dismal campaign in the 2023 Hong Kong Quadrangular Twenty20 Series came to a disappointing end yesterday when they crashed to a six-wicket defeat – their third loss in four matches – to Kuwait in the third-place play-off at the Mission Road Ground in Mong Kok.
Needing only 136 to win off 20 overs, Kuwait reeled off the required runs in 18.1 overs for the loss of only four wickets with opener Ravija Sandaruwan top-scoring with a rapid 33-ball 37 and Imran Javed Anwar taking three for 19 with his left-arm medium-pace.
Earlier, batting first after captain Sarfaraz Ali lost the toss for the first time in the tournament and was asked to bat, Bahrain limped to a below-par total of 135 for nine, with opener Prashant Kurup top-scoring with 33 off 35 balls.
Meanwhile, hosts Hong Kong won the tournament after they beat Malaysia by 39 runs in the final which was played after the third-place play-off at the same venue.
Batting first after Malaysia captain Ahmed Faiz won the toss and put them in, Hong Kong rattled up a score of 182 for eight in their 20 overs, with opener Anshy Rath top-scoring with a 40-ball 49.
In reply, Malaysia were bowled out for just 143 in 17.5 overs. Opener Zubaidi Zulkifle was the only batsman to offer any resistance as he top-scored with 29 off only 13 balls before he became the second to fall in a procession of wickets that left his team’s innings in tatters at 92 for seven in the 13th over.
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