BANGKOK: Saudi Arabia faced Thailand in both teams’ second match of the T20 quadrangular series in Bangkok and ran out winners by five wickets in a tightly contested affair.
Thailand were forced into changes ahead of the match against the ACC Challenge Cup champions, starting the match without their two left-arm opening bowlers Jandree Coetzee and Mukesh Thakur who had impressed as Thailand finished fifth in the Challenger Cup.
Both teams could be pleased with their performance in this match as Thailand made 112 for 7 in 20 overs and pegged Saudi Arabia back to 78 for five before the visitors won by five wickets in 16.1 overs.
If the quadrangular series goes to form, the two teams are likely to meet again in the final on Friday.
On winning the toss Saudi Arabia asked Thailand to bat first and the home side were soon 8 for the loss of 2 in four overs before reaching 16 for 2 in the powerplay. In previous matches Thailand’s openers had provided explosive starts but here was an opportunity for captain Austin Lazarus to come to the crease early to build an innings and he was able to show his class against the Saudi Arabian bowlers.
He reached his first international 50 in 37 balls as he hit 6 fours and 3 sixes to ensure Thailand would at least put runs on the scoreboard before he was out to the ball after making his half-century with Thailand on 98 for 4.
Runs dried up towards the end of the innings and Thailand had to settle for setting the Greens a target of 113 to win.
Faisal Khan hit his first two balls for four but was dismissed by Chanchai Pengkumpta in the first over for 8 off 4 balls as he attempted another off-drive.
Star batter Abdul Waheed joined Kashif Siddique and boundaries were hit at regular intervals even without Khan at the crease. In the six overs, 13 fours and a six came as it looked like Saudi Arabia would race to victory.
The Thailand spinners would soon have their say as Nopphon Senamontree dismissed Kashif for 26 from 16 balls with his slow left-arm and Khanitson Namchaikul came to the fore with his leg-spin. The two spinners engineered a collapse from 68 for 1 to 78 for 5 as Saudi Arabia lost four wickets for 10 runs.
Waheed was still there and he was joined by captain Hisham Shaikh and they were able to see off any further danger from the Thailand spinners.
Waheed finished on an unbeaten 58 from 38 balls with 9 fours and a six and Shaikh remained to see his side home to victory by five wickets in 16.1 overs.
Saudi Arabia now have two wins out of two in the series as well as ten wins out of ten in the two editions of the ACC Challenger Cup played in Thailand, proving Bangkok to be a second home for the Saudi team.
