Bilal Qureshi takes Saudi Arabia to victory
Playing at the National Stadium Karachi, Saudi Arabia won the toss and elected to bat
18-Jul-2000
Saudi Arabia innings
Playing at the National Stadium Karachi, Saudi Arabia won the toss and elected to bat. Fahad Hameed the opener and Basit Butt, batted confidently raising the score to 40 when Fahad was bowled by Indran for 12. Basit Butt, who was run out after playing an enterprising innings of 41 in 41 balls, including 6 thrilling boundaries, followed him. Mudassar Farooq was the other batsman who contributed a useful 26 with four hits to the boundary. In 20 overs Saudi Arabia was 94 for 5.
Rabea Zubair who came in to bat played a tremendous innings punishing the bowlers all over the field till Vickneswaran bowled him. He played a splendid innings of 55 runs scored in 62 balls with the help of 5 boundaries. Bilal Qureshi who kept his company at the crease was run out after scoring an exciting 39 in 34 balls with 5 hits to the boundary.
Saudi Arabia was all out for a handsome total of 213 in 43.3 overs, Junaid Hasham remaining not out with 20. S. Vickneswaranwho launched the bowling attack for Malaysia ended up with a haul of 4 for 23.
Malaysia's innings
Facing a competitive target of 214 runs, Malaysia lost the 1st wicket at 22 when the opener Sathiswaran was run out after scoring 11 runs. His partner Hairul Ameer ud Din (17) was the next to go at the total of 59. B. Indran, however, faced the Saudi bowling with some confidence scoring 23 runs in 47 balls before he was out. Vickneswaran played real adventurous innings by scoring 23 runs in 24 balls. In 24 overs Malaysia was 95 for the loss of 4 wickets.
The batsmen who followed could not face the accurate and penetrating bowling of Bilal Qureshi and were out one after the other. Except for Abdul Aziz (10) and Maroof Mohammad (14), the others did not face him with confidence. Malaysia was 128 for 8 in 32 overs.
With the game fallen in the hands of tail enders, it was a tough march to the target of 214. The 9th wicket also fell with the addition of only 1 run. It was now a matter of touch and go. Malaysia was finally all out for 132. With 4 for 27 Bilal Qureshi was responsible for routing Malaysia. Saudi Arabia defeated Malaysia by 82 runs.