MALAYSIA WINS SEA GAMES GOLD IN THE MEN’S T20

MALAYSIA WINS SEA GAMES GOLD IN THE MEN’S T20

The fifth day of SEA Games Thailand would see the Men’s T20 cricket decided at TCG. The three medallists have been decided but which colour medals would Malaysia, Singapore and Philippines collect?

Thailand played Philippines in the morning match then Malaysia faced Singapore in the afternoon. Thailand were looking for their first win in the men’s T20 but Philippines had to better Singapore’s result in the second match to claim a silver medal

Thailand posted a good score in their 20 overs as they reached 153 for 7 after their openers made a fast start with Chaloemwong Chatphaisan hitting 4 sixes in his 32 from 14 balls

The Thailand middle-order built on this imoressive start and Chanchai Pengkumta supplied the final flourish with three sixes from three sucessive balls as he finished on 31*.

Philippines had been batting well in victories against Singapore and Indonesia and their openers raced to 70 inside five overs thanks to 41 in 15 balls from Daniel Smith.

Left-arm spinner Nopphon Senamontree got the crucial wicket and Thailand fought back strongly as Philippines were 91 for 4 at the halfway stage. 63 were needed off 10 overs.

Nopphon Senamontree finished an excellent spell with 4 wickets for 19 and Chanchai Pengkumta contributed a double-wicket maiden.

The eighth wicket fell in the 17th over and 23 were needed from the last two overs. Grant Russ hit two sixes in the 19th over so nine were needed from the last over.

Another six came at the start of the 20th over but Chanchai Pengkumta claimed the ninth wicket. Three more runs or the final wicket would decide the match but Russ clinched a one-wicket victory with a four through mid-wicket with two balls to spare

The medals in men’s T20 cricket were finally decided in the tenth and last match. Singapore had to beat Malaysia by a huge margin to win gold and needed a win of any margin to claim silver but in the end Malaysia won by six wickets to take the gold medal, Philippines won silver and Singapore were left with the bronze.

Singapore made a bright start to their innings but were bowled out for 110 to end their dreams of gold. Left-arm spinner Pavandeep Singh took three wickets as he reached 100 T20I wickets.

There was drama at the start of Malaysia’s reply as they lost two wickets in the first over but Virandeep Singh made an unbeaten 65 from 40 balls to see his side home to a comfortable victory to claim the gold medal.

Philippines were delighted with the silver medal after three successive wins but Singapore had to be content with bronze. Cricket resumes on Monday with the start of men’s T10 at AIT and women’s T20 at TCG.