Qatar's Imal Liyanage bats during yesterday's match.
Doha: Left-handed batsman Imal Liyanage displayed his steely nerves and set up the platform for Qatar’s tense but pulsating five-wicket victory against Saudi Arabia in the Asia Qualifier Group A for the 2022 ICC T20 Men’s World Cup yesterday at the Asian Town Stadium.
After the hosts lost the opener to Bahrain, this fixture was quite significant and it was indeed a roller-coaster victory for them with two balls to go.
Qatar battled hard to restrict Saudi Arabia, who were on a charge after beating a strong Kuwait for their second win in two games, at 130 for nine, despite opener Faisal Khan’s superb 42.
During the pursuit, Qatar struggled a bit and to make the matter worse, they lost wickets as well. From two down for 12, they reached 54 through Liyanage and Mohammed Rizlan (22 off 17 with three fours) through an important third-wicket alliance. Then Muhammad Tanveer (helped Liyanage take the score to 90 before he was trapped leg before by Imran Arif for 17 off 21.
While wickets kept falling around him, Liyanage valiantly absorbed the pressure and grafted himself in as the wickets kept falling around him. Off the final 18 balls, Qatar required 34 runs. Liyanage was bowled by Abdul Wahid for 44. He smashed two big sixes and four boundaries in his game-changing 45-ball knock.
Qatar however collected 15 runs from the 18th over as Zaheer Ibrahim (18 not out off 14 balls) and Muhammad Murad Khan (11 not out off 5 balls), promoted by skipper Iqbal Hussain Choudhry. The pair added nine runs from the next to leave 10 runs needed off the final six balls. Khan slogged Hisham Sheikh for a mid-wicket six and then Ibrahim cut for a third-man boundary to spark jubilation at the venue.
Earlier, at the same venue, Bahrain handed a seven-wicket thrashing to Maldives as the action resumed in the tournament after a day’s rest.
Chasing 88, Bahrain reached the target with ease in seven overs with Muhammad Younis scoring a quickfire 31 off 13 deliveries.
Brief scores
Qatar beat Saudi Arabia by 5 wickets
Saudi Arabia: 130 for 9 (Faisal Khan 42 off 29, Iqbah Hussain Choudhry 2/26, Muhammad Murad Khan 3/17)
Qatar: 134 for 5 in 19.4 overs (Imal Liyanage 44 off 45)
Man of the match: Imal Liyanage of Qatar
Bahrain beat Maldives by 7 wickets
Maldives: 88 for 9 (Umar Adam 31 off 22, Sathaiya Veerapathiran 2/17, Anasim Khan 3/15, Waseeq Ahmed 3/14)
Bahrain: 93 for 3 in 7 overs (Muhammad Younis 31 off 13)
Man of the match: Anasim Khan of Bahrain
