Kuwait ensured they had that 'outside chance' of qualifying for the semi-finals after they beat Singapore by 16 runs, thanks to a stellar performance from Azmatullah Mohammad.
After losing their first two games, Kuwait badly needed a win against Singapore. On winning the toss they chose to bat and it seemed to be going well when Khalid Butt (34) and Nadeem Malik (10) were at the crease. Butt was enjoying playing the new ball as he clobbered 6 fours and 1 six. With the runs coming good for Kuwait, Butt needlessly gifted his wicket in the fifth over when he sent the ball high into the air. Manbhir Singh had to work hard to take the catch running backwards.
Singapore's right-arm off-break bowler, Dharmichand Mulewa (2-23), struck twice the following over and suddenly a comfortable position for Kuwait didn't seem that comfortable after all. Things only worsened by the eighth over when complete confusion took over in the center as both batsmen stood at the same crease and Hisham Mirza (11) was run out.
Anish Param (3-18) took apart the middle order and soon the Kuwaiti tail-enders had to do quite a bit of batting. Azmatullah Mohammad (23*) and Javed Choudhry (15*) stayed on right till the end and tried whatever best they could do to get runs. There was some great pinch-hitting and their best was eventually 138 runs of the twenty overs.
Singapore were very sluggish off the mark after losing opener Chetan Suryawanshi (1) in the very first over. The first five overs produced just 22 runs. There was a lot of chirping for the bowlers from all over the field and it paid dividends when Captain Yasin Mughal (2-19) dismissed Low Chong Wei (10) at the start of the seventh over.
Singapore seemed to be missing injured Captain/batsman Chaminda Ruwan, but his stand-in Buddhika Mendis (29) seemed up to the task. Mendis and Dharminchand Mulewa (51) only really started playing their shots confidently in the ninth over as the pair put on a 42-run partnership.
Mendis' dismissal was as shocking to him as to the others. A superb shot on his knees seemed destined to fly over the boundary ropes but not if Haji Javed had anything to do about it. Javed literally plucked the ball out of the air to dismiss the Singaporean captain. Manbhir Singh (6) came in next and smashed the first ball he faced for six and was bowled the very next with the score at 76-4 after 13 overs.
Singapore's middle order completely caved through as Mulewa had to stand and watch helplessly as one by one his teammates were dismissed, scoring in single digits. Azmatullah Mohammad (5-24) bowled superbly throughout and both of Singapore's highest scorers, Mendis and Mulewa, fell to him. Singapore were bowled out on the last ball of the innings for 122 falling 16 runs short of their target.
With the second-highest batting contribution for his team and with bowling figures of 5-24, there was no argument as to who the Man of the Match was, Azmatuallah Mohammad. |
