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Mariko Hill gets Hong Kong’s chase off to a strong start. Photo: ACC

Hong Kong fall at last hurdle as Malaysia dash hopes for historic Asia Cup spot

  • Performance in the field is arguably their worst of the tournament for Hong Kong, with several misfields handing Malaysia crucial runs
  • Losing wickets of Kary Chan and Mariko Hill slows Hong Kong’s momentum as Malaysia go on the attack

It was not to be for Hong Kong’s cricketers as they fell to Malaysia in the semi-finals of the ACC Women’s T20 Championship on Friday, missing out on a first appearance in the Asia Cup in the process.

After a stellar start to their ACC campaign, featuring four back-to-back wins, Hong Kong were unable to match the aggression of Malaysia as they stumbled on the field and were unable to sustain momentum with the bat.

It means Malaysia, along with UAE, will progress to the Asia Cup in Bangladesh in October, joining India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Thailand in the tournament.

The rain-delayed match got under way at 4pm at the Kinrara Academy Oval in Kuala Lumpur with a reduced 11 overs per side.

Hong Kong captain Kary Chan impressed with the ball. Photo: ACC

Hong Kong captain Kary Chan won the toss and sent Malaysia in to bat. The strategy initially paid dividends as spin bowler Betty Chan kept the run rate to a minimum. It was not until the third over that the Malaysian batters were able to find the boundary.

Maryam Bibi broke Malaysia’s momentum in the sixth over, taking the crucial wicket of captain Winifred Duraisingam, who departed for a quick 26 runs off 21 balls.

Hong Kong, however, were their own worst enemy. Their performance in the field was easily their worst of the tournament. Several sloppy misfields handed the hosts crucial runs as they went to work to add a solid 86 runs from their 11 overs.

Series stand-out Mariko Hill and Kary Chan got Hong Kong’s chase off to a solid start, thanks largely to sloppy bowling from Malaysia. The opening over was nothing short of a disaster for Malaysia, as they conceded two boundaries and several wide balls to hand Hong Kong 15 runs off the first six deliveries.

Hill and Chan settled in and went after the bowlers, smashing several boundaries and snatching easy singles. For a moment, it was their game to lose.

Chan looked to be in her best form of the tournament, hitting 19 runs off 10 balls. Hill, too, was aggressive, collecting 12 from nine balls.

But several quick wickets from Malaysia claimed the key batters, with the loss of Hill, Chan, Natasha Miles and Bella Poon – who was out for a duck – shifting the momentum firmly back in Malaysia’s favour.

From there it was downhill for Hong Kong. Malaysia were sharp in the field and Hong Kong finished on 74 for eight.

Malaysia’s Mas Elysa was player of the match. Photo: ACC

“To be honest, I think Malaysia played a very good game,” an emotional Chan said in a post-match interview.

“They gave us a lot of pressure when we were fielding and we gave away too many runs. I think my team tried our best, I’m really proud of them. It was a really good game from Malaysia.”

Chan said that the performances of young stand-out players including Maryam Bibi, Hill and Iqra Sahar had been inspirational, adding that they represented a promising future for women’s cricket in Hong Kong.

“It’s so good to have them, they are the future for Hong Kong,” she said. “Every time we needed players to step up, they stepped up. They bring so much positivity to the team and gave us a lot of energy.”

Malaysia captain Duraisingam said it was the biggest victory she had experienced.

“This is the biggest game of my career and for the girls – I think they gave me 200 per cent,” she said. “We came into this tournament with confidence and the girls proved to me what they can do with their talent. I’m really proud of them.”

It was agony as well for Nepal, who did not even get a chance to finish their semi-final match against UAE, with the match cancelled thanks to heavy rain. UAE – undefeated in their ACC series – automatically progressed through to the final, giving them qualification along with Malaysia.

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