Dubai: Singapore provided a stupendous start to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup qualifiers through a stunning two-run win over defending champions Scotland in the opening match at the Dubai’s ICC Academy ground.
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In an interview to Gulf News before the start of the qualifiers, Singapore skipper Amjad Mahboob had remarked that they are here carrying the confidence of beating a Test playing nation Zimbabwe recently and will try to win this tournament.
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The experienced Scotland team seemed to have ignored the threat that Singapore could post and elected to field after winning the toss.
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Opener Surendran Chandramohan, who had also hit a half-century against Zimbabwe, top scored with 51 runs off 55 balls with three boundaries and two sixes.
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Singapore had lost their first two wickets for seven runs before Chandramohan and Aritra Dutta (32) put on 44 runs for the third wicket.
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Wicketkeeper Manpreet Singh scored a run-a-ball 26 while Janak Praksh hit a quick 20 runs off 11 balls.
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Navin Param too scored an unbeaten 13 runs off seven balls ensuring Singapore reached a challenging total of 168-6 in 20 overs.
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Chasing the target, Scotland got off to a great start with the openers putting on a 70-run partnership in 7.4 overs.
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Sidhant Singh removed opener George Munsey for 46 while off-spinner Selladore Vijayakumar, who won the player of the match award, picked the first of his three wickets by removing opener and skipper Kyle Coetzer for 38.
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The experienced Calum MacLeod scored a fine 44 and looked to be taking Scotland close to the target before it all fell apart.
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In the last over, Scotland needed only eight runs but Mahboob ended MacLeod’s knock and also took the wicket of Safyaan Sharif.
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Off the last ball Alasdair Evans got run out as Singapore celebrated their victory.
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In the second match at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, Ireland defeated Hong Kong by eight wickets.
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Hong Kong posted 153-5 in 20 overs through Kinchit Shah’s knock of 79 runs from 54 balls with six boundaries and two sixes.
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Ireland’s experienced opening batsman Paul Sterling cracked 62 off just 32 balls while one-drop batsman Andrew Balbirnie remained unbeaten on 70 off 53 balls with eight boundaries to ensure a victory with 16 balls to spare.
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The third match of the day saw Netherlands down Kenya by 30 runs. Batting first, Netherlands posted 166-4 with opener Max O’Dowd top scoring with 53 runs. Kenya were restricted to 136 for 8 despite Collins Obuya’s 63 runs. Paul van Meekeren took three wickets for 27 runs.
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