Kuala Lumpur, July 28: Jandre Coetzee’s 40 off 29 balls pushed Thailand to 140 for six before his two new ball wickets helped bowl Myanmar out for 39 on the third day of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier B on Friday.
Thailand’s second win of the tournament allowed them to maintain their undefeated run and to claim the top spot on the points table, marginally ahead of Malaysia who are also undefeated after two games. After electing to bowl, Myanmar’s bowlers started impressively. Paing Danu bowled Sorawat Desungnoen for a duck in the first over before he took a catch to dismiss Satarut Rungrueang, giving Thu Ya Aung his first wicket and restricting Thailand to 10 for two in the fourth over.
Akshaykumar Yadav broke the shackles with a drive down the ground off Thu Ya Aung, but his resistance would not last much longer after he was caught behind off the bowling of Khin Aye for 17.
Despite a drought of boundaries, Thailand was helped to a generous serving of extras, reaching 62 for four in the 12th over. Walking in at six, Robert Raina swept his first ball for four before Coetzee hit Pyae Phyo Wai for two boundaries in the 14th over.
Thu Ya Aung was brought back into the attack and responded with the huge wicket of Coetzee, who chopped a delivery onto his stumps. Yet, this did not deter Raina who closed out the innings with a flurry of boundaries to set Myanmar a target of 141. Raina scored 42 in 30 balls, consisting of seven fours.
Chasing more than seven runs an over against Thailand’s bowling attack was never going to be an easy task. Coetzee made a tall order even more difficult when Ko Ko Lin Thu chopped an inswinger from the left-armer back onto his stumps off the first ball of the innings. Khin Aye suffered a similar fate off his second ball to leave Myanmar reeling at 3 for two in the third over.
Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals even after Coetzee was taken out of the attack. Chalermwong Chatphaisan had Htet Lin Aung caught behind before Swann Htet Ko Ko was run out for 5 attempting a quick single.
Myanmar skipper Thu Ya Aung may have impressed with the ball, but could only manage to score 3, getting bowled by Khanitson Namchaikul. Namchaikul would close out the innings, taking the last three wickets in the 16th over to seal a convincing 101-run win for Thailand.
Coetzee was awarded the Player-of-the-Match award for his contributions with bat and ball.
Brief Scores: Thailand: 140/6 (Robert Raina 42, Jandre Coetzee 40, Thuya Aung 2/23) defeated Myanmar (Pyae Phyo Wai 8, Swann Htet Ko Ko 5, Khanitson Namchaikul 4/7). (ANI)
