Cricket
Malaysia Selection XI salvage some pride with 192 run win over Gandaki
The visitors shine with both bat and ball in the Group ‘D’ dead-rubber at Manmohan Memorial tournament.Sports Bureau
The visiting Malaysia Selection XI ended their Manmohan Memorial National One-Day cricket tournament journey with a mammoth 192-run win against Gandaki Province in the dead-rubber clash of Group 'D' in Inaruwa on Monday.
Visitors Malaysian side won the toss and elected to bat where they posted 298-8 in the match reduced to 47 overs per innings.
Gandaki kept losing wickets at regular intervals in their big chase and were bundled out for 106 in 27.2 overs. Bipin Khatri was their only standout contributor with the bat. Khatri scored 42 runs from 37 balls clubbing three sixes and hitting two fours. Khatri, however, was the lone fighter as he did not receive any support from the non-striker end.
Suharril Fetri was the pick of the Malaysia Selection XI bowlers with four wickets. Fetri, who bowled two maidens, was stingy giving away only 29 runs in his 7.2 overs. He was well supported by Anwar Rahman and Vijay Unni who shared three scalps each.
Earlier, Malaysia made a sound beginning to their innings. Gandaki bowlers struggled hard for 11.3 overs for the first wicket. When Bhushan Save was out, they had 78 runs on the board. Save completed his half-century before being trapped leg before by Khatri. His innings included eight fours and a six. Another opener Ainool Haqqiem and skipper Ahmed Faiz (31) then added 76 runs for the second wicket. Govinda Pradhan caught Faiz off his own bowling in the 28th over.
Haqqiem missed his century by 11 runs as he was clean bowled by Katri in the 39th over. Before making his long way back to the pavilion, Haqqiem had scored 89 runs from 111 balls with 11 fours. When he left the crease, Malaysia Selection XI were comfortable at 234-3 in 38.3 overs. However, they then lost their next five wickets for 64 runs as their innings ended at 298-8 in 47 overs.
Khatri picked three wickets for Gandaki while Chandra Paudel grabbed two with Pradhan claiming one.
The large margin win was not adequate for the visitors as they had previously lost to Sudurpaschim Province by eight wickets. Sudurpaschim had progressed to the semifinals as winners of Group 'D'.