• Cricket

Smiling Assassins pick off Eagles

• 1 Week Ago 09 December 2024

Thailand Women reaffirmed their authority as a cricket powerhouse by clinching the final of the Women's T20 Quadrangular Series in Hong Kong on Sunday.



The champions kept their cool and defeated the Namibia Women with 30 runs. The all-rounder Chanida Sutthiruang (right handed batsman and right arm medium pace bowler) was named player of the match. She contributed 15 runs with the bat and took two wickets for 14 runs from four overs which included one maiden.



Thailand Women, which is the highest ranked team (13th) competing in the tournament, won the toss and elected to bat first against Namibia Women, ranked 17th. Namibian Women restricted and bowled their opponents out for 72 runs in 20 overs. Both Thailand Women openers were dismissed for ducks.



Suwanan Khiaoto was the top batter for Thailand Women. She contributed 17 runs (including one 4) from 22 balls. Chanida Sutthiruang also contributed 15 runs (including one 4) from 27 balls. Namibia Women right arm medium pace bowler Saima Tuhadeleni (19) took three wickets for 18 runs in 4 overs.



Disciplined bowling by the Thailand Women bowlers saw Namibia Women slumped to 40 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in 14.4 overs. Wilka Mwatile, who entered the fray as the fifth batsman was the top run scorer with 11 runs (including one 4) from 19 balls. The Thailand Women bowlers struck gold with Chanida Sutthiruang, Nattaya Boochatham, Thipatcha Putthawong and Onnicha Kamchomphu all taking two wickets each.



“We pride ourselves on playing a fearless brand of cricket and that is the way we want to play, not just in this tournament, but on the way forward going to Malaysia and thinking about the qualifiers next year as well as everything in between,” said Namibia Women captain and opening batsman Sune Wittmann.



Thailand Women also defeated Namibia with 6 wickets and 12 balls remaining in the first match of the tournament



Qualification

Namibia Women out-maneuvered Hong Kong Women in the closely contested match with 4 wickets and 2 balls remaining to secure their place in the final.



Hong Kong Women (ranked 22nd) won the toss, elected to bat first and were restricted to 81 runs for the loss of 8 wickets. Opening batsman Shanzeen Shahzad was the top runs scorer. She contributed 47 runs (including five 4’s) from 56 balls.



Sune Wittman was the best bowler for Namibia Women. She took two wickets in three overs for 10 runs. Saima Tuhadeleni also took two wickets for 12 runs in four overs.



The Namibians hit the winning 82 runs in 19.4 overs. Kayleen Green was named player of the match. She took one wicket and smashed 18 runs (including two 4’s) from 20 balls (not out). Alison Siu and Ruchita Venkatesh each took two wickets for Hong Kong Women.