Bahrain lost a thrilling encounter to Qatar by 15 runs yesterday in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia Sub Regional Qualifier B, held at the West End Park International Cricket Stadium in Doha.
Chasing a target of 186, Bahrain fought valiantly but fell short, finishing at 170/9 in their 20 overs.
Earlier, Qatar posted a commanding total of 185/2, thanks to a superb knock from wicketkeeper-batter Imal Liyanage, who scored 78 runs off 49 balls. Mohammad Ahnaff also contributed significantly with an unbeaten 60 off 50 balls, while Muhammad Tanveer blazed his way to a rapid 30 off just seven balls.
Bahrain’s chase got off to a shaky start as they lost wickets early, with captain Haider Butt being the top scorer for his side, making 68 runs off 42 balls.
Despite his efforts, Bahrain could not accelerate when required and kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Notably, Amir Farooq’s exceptional bowling performance turned the tide in Qatar’s favor. Farooq was named Player of the Match for his remarkable figures of 5/32 in four overs, breaking Bahrain’s middle order and leaving them struggling to recover.
Other contributions in the bowling department for Qatar came from Muhammad Jabir, who claimed two wickets for 30 runs, and Muhammad Ikramullah, who took 1/26.
For Bahrain, Rizwan Butt (30), Fiaz Ahmed (30), and Asif Ali (24) were the only other notable contributions with the bat, but they couldn’t find the momentum needed to challenge Qatar’s total.
Qatar’s win was crucial in keeping their hopes alive in the tournament, while Bahrain will need to regroup ahead of their next match.
The result saw Qatar maintain their solid position in the qualifier standings, with an eye on the final stages of the competition.
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