CRICKET – BAHRAIN suffered a seven-wicket defeat to hosts Qatar yesterday in their opening Men’s T20I Bilateral Series clash at West End Park International Cricket Stadium in Doha.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, Bahrain were restricted to a modest total of 113/7 by the formidable Qatari bowlers, who kept Bahrain in check right throughout the match from ball one until the 20th over. They then chased down their target with 20 balls to spare, finishing at 115/3.
Bahrain’s decision to bat first backfired spectacularly as they lost three wickets in the powerplay with just nine runs on the board. Qatar’s new-ball bowler Munir delivered a spell of sheer brilliance, dismantling the top order with precision. He finished with remarkable figures of 4-0-12-4, including the wickets of Asif Ali, Prashant Kurup, Fiaz Ahmed and Muhammad Rizwan.
Only skipper Ahmer Bin Nasir showed resilience for Bahrain, anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 68 off 56 balls with six fours and two sixes. He received minimal support, with Sohail Ahmed (15) and Yasser Nazeer (15) contributing modestly.
Qatar’s bowling was disciplined throughout, with Asim (2/17) and Mirza M Baig (1/34) providing effective support.
Munir’s double-wicket maiden in the first over set the tone, leaving Bahrain reeling at 0/2. Qatar’s reply began shakily with Ali falling for a golden duck to Bahrain’s Ali in the first over. However, Arshad (54 off 53 balls) and Galle Liyanage (37 off 26 balls) steadied the ship with a 79-run partnership that effectively sealed the game.
Liyanage’s aggressive strokeplay included four fours and a six, while Arshad played the anchor role, hitting six boundaries.
After Liyanage fell to Imran Javed, Mirza M Baig (21 off 19) joined Arshad to guide Qatar toward victory. Bahrain’s bowlers fought hard, with Ali (1/15) and Rizwan (1/28) picking up wickets, but the target proved too small to defend.
The partnership between Arshad and Liyanage broke the back of the chase, ensuring no late drama.
Munir’s spell was the standout performance, earning him the Player of the Match award.
Bahrain, despite Bin Nasir’s fighting half-century, will rue their top-order collapse and the lack of partnerships.
The two sides’ next match is scheduled for today and can be watched on the link which will be shared on the Bahrain Cricket Federation social media pages.
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