Excellent batting efforts from Sita Rana Magar and skipper Rubina Chhetry  steered Nepal to a comfortable 34-run win over Malaysia in the opening day  match of the ICC Women’s World Cup Asia Qualifier in Bangkok on  Tuesday.

Electing to bat first after winning the toss, Nepal had their top order  batswomen to thank for to post a commanding 126-5 in 20 overs. Malaysia could  only score 92-7 in their 20 overs in reply.

Openers Kajal Shrestha and Rana Magar gave Nepal a solid start putting on 46  runs for the first wicket. Shrestha scored a composed 16 off 29 deliveries  with three hits to the fence. Rana Magar also put on identical 25-run stand  with Indu Barma (13) and Rana Magar.

Nepal lost former captain Nary Thapa (6) and Mamta Chaudhary (0), both victims  of run out, but skipper Chhetry held defiant at the other end to guide Nepal to  a decent total. Chhetry remained unbeaten on 33, her 25-ball knock included  three boundaries. Winifred Duraisingam, Sasha Azmi and Zumika Azmi took one  wicket each for Malaysia.

Malaysia were jolted early in their chase when Kabita Kunwar bowled Yusrina Yaakop (5) and Siow Tzin (0) Yee was run out to be tottering at 10-2 by the third over. A 43-run third wicket stand between skipper Duraisingam (18) and Christina Baret (21) brought Malaysia back into the game. But Karuna Bhandari triggered a dramatic Malaysia collapse having Baret caught and bowled in the last ball of 11th over.

Bhandari returned to bowl Duraisingam in the ball of her next over, the 13th, to all but end Malaysian hopes. Sasha Azmi only delayed the inevitable by scoring an unbeaten 16 off 22 balls. Bhandari took 2-14 and Sarita Magar claimed 2-12. Player-of-the-match Rana Magar and Kunwar also snared one wicket each for Nepal.

Nepal take on host Thailand on Thursday before  playing the United Arab Emirates on February 22 and Hong Kong two days later. They round up their campaign with a clash against China on February 25 and Kuwait two days later. The seven-team Qualifier sends the winners to the 2019 ICC Women’s Global Qualifier for the 2020 ICC Women’s Twenty20 World Cup and 2021 ICC Women’s 50-over World Cup.

Summary

Nepal 126-5 in 20 overs (S Rana Magar 42, R Belbashi 33*; S Azmi 1-20, Z Azmi 1-22) beat Malaysia 92-7 in

20 overs (C Baret 21, W Duraisingam 18; K Bhandari 2-14, S Magar 2-12)

by 34 runs

Player-of-the-match: Sita Rana

Magar (Nepal)