10 balls! Yes, that is what Malaysia required to beat Myanmar in ICC World T20 Qualifiers

Malaysia needed just 10 balls to beat Myanmar in their ICC World T20 qualifier match in what was one of the fastest run chases in cricket history. The record victory kept Malaysia’s hopes alive of a top-three finish in the qualifiers.

Opting put to field first, Malaysia immediately started off with spinner Pavandeep Singh hoping to finish the match in a rush before rain could interrupt and it paid off. Pavandeep sent back opener Lin Thu in his first ball of the innings before removing Ye Naing Tun two balls later.

He eventually finished with figures of 1/5 in four overs that also included three maidens as Myanmar were caught in a humiliating situation of nine runs for the loss of eight wickets before rain interrupted play. Anwar Rahman took two wickets for three runs.

4️⃣ overs
3️⃣ maidens
1️⃣ run
5️⃣ wickets!

What a spell by @MalaysiaCricket‘s Pavandeep Singh in their win against Myanmar at the @WorldT20 Asia B Qualifier! ? pic.twitter.com/Po2DIadwJ5

— ICC (@ICC) October 9, 2018

But incessant rain threatened to spoil Malaysia’s hopes of a third-place finish. It was then up to the ground staff – after rain had stopped – to clear the outfield, which was full in patches of stagnant water. Their tremendous efforts helped by the players, who got down to lend a hand, meant the field was ready for play in no time.

Malaysia were set a target of six runs from eight overs.

Also Read: Pakistan spinner Abdur Rehman calls it a day on his international career

When it started to rain, we hoped to bat again. Thanks to the curator, ground staff and the boys, we worked hard to get the ground dried. We were lucky we managed to get it done and the umpires gave us eight overs,” Malaysia captain Ahmad Faiz Mohammad Noor was quoted as saying by the Times of India following his side’s victory.

The win though did not come as comfortably as it should have been. Like Myanmar, the home side also found themselves in a spot of bother after Pang Danu removed both the openers – Anwar Arudin and Shafiq Shariff – in his first over with just two runs on board. But Suhan Alagaratnam ensured no more hiccups with a straight six in the very next over to carry his side home at 11/2 in just 1.4 overs.

“We hoped to finish in the first over but the wicket was a bit wet and the bowler, bowled into that patch. Credit to him for getting our main batsmen out” added Faiz. “But 11 runs in 10 balls is quite impressive for me.”

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Nepal will face China, while Thailand faces Myanmar and Singapore play Bhutan on the same day. Nepal and Singapore have already secured their qualification berths for the ICC World Twenty20.

Image Source: ICC Cricket