UAE Beats Nepal, Thailand Tops Kuwait in U19 Women’s T20 Asia Qualifier.
UAE Beats Nepal, Thailand Tops Kuwait in U19 Women’s T20 Asia Qualifier
UAE Extends Winning Streak, Nepal’s Captain Mahato Shines in Defeat; Thailand Downs Kuwait in ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2024.
The third day of the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2024 saw UAE and Thailand secure hard-fought victories, with the UAE extending their winning run and Thailand overcoming a heroic performance by Kuwait’s captain, Zeefa Jilani.
At the Seven District Sports Club in Ajman, UAE, the UAE women’s team secured a 13-run win over Nepal, while Thailand triumphed by 20 runs against Kuwait. Both matches were full of drama, with individual brilliance and thrilling finishes.
UAE’s Winning Streak Continues with Another Nail-Biting Win Over Nepal
The UAE recorded their third consecutive victory in the tournament, stopping Nepal’s charge with a 13-run win. Once again, it was Rinitha Rajith who proved to be the star for the UAE, top-scoring with 48 runs off 33 balls, which included five boundaries and two sixes.
Her performance was critical in helping the UAE post a total of 122/7 in their 20 overs after opting to bat first.
Nepal’s Captain Puja Mahato fought valiantly, scoring 48 runs off 43 balls, but her efforts ultimately went in vain as Nepal fell short of the target, finishing at 109/5.
UAE’s Innings:
After losing an early wicket when opener Emily Thomas was dismissed for a duck, trapped leg-before by Mahato, the UAE found themselves under pressure.
However, Rinitha Rajith and Lavanya Keny stabilized the innings, taking the score past 50 by the eighth over. Rajith’s knock was vital, and she looked set for a half-century before being stumped by wicketkeeper Alisha Kumari Yadav off Seema K C in the 15th over.
The middle-order failed to capitalize on the foundation set, with quick wickets falling, but Rishitha Rajith and Al Maseera Jahangir added some crucial runs towards the end to ensure the UAE finished at a competitive total of 122/7.
Nepal’s Response:
Nepal struggled in the early stages of their chase, with Sabitri Dhami falling for just 6. The pressure mounted as Mehak Thakur removed Sana Praveen for 19 in the 10th over, leaving Nepal needing 83 runs from the last 10 overs.
Despite a brave fight from Puja Mahato, who added a fighting 48, Nepal could not recover from a flurry of wickets. With 18 runs required off the final over, Indhuja Nandakumar struck the decisive blow by dismissing Mahato in the 19th over, and Samaira Dharnidharka ensured the win by conceding just four runs in the final over.
Player of the Match: Rinitha Rajith for her match-winning knock of 48 runs.
Jilani’s Heroics Not Enough as Thailand Down Kuwait
In the second match of the day, Thailand put in a disciplined performance to defeat Kuwait by 20 runs, despite a stunning effort from Zeefa Jilani, who scored a valiant unbeaten 73 off 49 balls for Kuwait.
Thailand’s Innings:
After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Thailand posted a total of 128/7 in their 20 overs, thanks to a solid performance from Nattharika Thokoi, who scored 38 runs off 41 balls. The Thai openers got off to a solid start, putting on 31 runs in 4.5 overs, but Kuwait’s bowlers fought back, with Ayesha Iqbal Pewekar picking up crucial wickets.
In particular, Pewekar finished with figures of 3/15, as Thailand lost wickets at regular intervals, including a run out of Thokoi just before she could accelerate further. Thailand finished with a total of 128/7, with Jilani contributing to the bowling attack with 2/20.
Kuwait’s Chase:
Kuwait’s chase got off to a sluggish start, with Jilani and Eshanvi Mohan Singh struggling to find the boundary.
The required run rate quickly climbed, and despite a valiant effort from Jilani, who struck four sixes and seven boundaries to reach a brilliant 73*, Kuwait never quite recovered from a slow start. They reached just 108/4 in 20 overs, falling short of the target.
Player of the Match: Zeefa Jilani for her exceptional unbeaten knock of 73 runs.
Brief Scores:
- UAE 122/7 in 20 overs (Rinitha Rajith 48, Lavanya Keny 20; Riya Sharma 3/15)
- Nepal 109/5 in 20 overs (Puja Mahato 48, Sony Pakhrin 19; Indhuja Nandakumar 1/9)
- Result: UAE won by 13 runs.
- Player of the Match: Rinitha Rajith
- Thailand 128/7 in 20 overs (Nattharika Thokoi 38, Arrikan Phuengkho 17; Zeefa Jilani 2/20, Ayesha Iqbal Pewekar 3/15)
- Kuwait 108/4 in 20 overs (Zeefa Jilani 73*; Charukan Saema 2/16)
- Result: Thailand won by 20 runs.
- Player of the Match: Zeefa Jilani
Points Table:
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Points | Net Run Rate | For (runs) | Against (runs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAE | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | +3.2167 | 420/60 | 227/60 |
| Nepal | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 | +2.7 | 341/60 | 179/60 |
| Thailand | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | -2.0167 | 244/60 | 365/60 |
| Kuwait | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | -3.9 | 167/60 | 401/60 |
With UAE maintaining their perfect record, the stage is set for the remaining matches, where Nepal and Thailand will be looking to challenge the frontrunners for top spots. Meanwhile, Kuwait will be aiming to bounce back and secure their first win in the tournament.
As the competition intensifies, all teams will be eager to continue improving their performances in the remaining matches. The action in the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2024 is far from over, and the race for the top spots remains wide open!