CAMBODIA WIN A PLACE ALONGSIDE THE ASIAN ELITE AS THEY BEAT SINGAPORE BY SIX WICKETS

Singapore faced Cambodia in the second semi-final of the ACC Men’s Challenger Cup and Singapore chose to bat first against a side who won the qualifier and are playing in their first ACC tournament.

Incredibly it was Cambodia who have only been playing in major cricket tournaments for a year who beat Singapore who are a side with a long cricketing history by six wickets to reach the Challenger Cup final against Saudi Arabia and win a place in the Premier Cup.

Singapore reached 199 in their first match of the tournament but have made poor starts ever since and it was same again today. Sharwan Godara took a wicket in his first over to dismiss Aman Desai for 0. Anitra Dutta was run out for 1 and Sharwan got Rangarajan next ball to leave Singapore 12 for 3. Logan Butt took another slip catch off the spin of Utkarsh Jain and four wickets were down for 30 in the sixth over.

The left-arm spinner has struck again but it iss all down to another exceptional slip catch from Lugman Butt as Cambodia have now picked up five wickets for 39 in the eighth over. Raoul Sharma has hit three fours to bring up the fifty and Singapore were 57 for 5 at the halfway stage.

Singapore battled through the second half of their innings as they were determined to use up their 20 overs. Raoul Sharma made 39 from 34 balls and the last pair saw the innings reach the end of the 20th over. Singapore finished on 109 all out as Ram Sharan claimed 3 for 14.

Cambodia now faced a chase of 110 runs in 20 overs. Would they have the composure to reach the final of their first ACC competition and gain promotion to the Premier Cup?

Singapore had shown character with the bat to post a defendable score and now they have started well with the ball as Salvin Stanly was caught at mid-on and Uday Hathinjar was caught behind as Ramesh removed both openers.

Two fours for Ram Sharan took Cambodia to 24 for 2 in four overs and Lakshit Gupta has pulled another boundary. Lakshit hit to the fence twice more but was out in the 7th over as Cambodia lost their third wicket on 43. Lugman Butt had already taken four catches and looked to be carrying the hopes of his adopted country on his shoulders.

Lugman pulled a four to bring up the Cambodia fifty but it was Ram Sharan who may have nit the crucial blows with two sixes in the 10th over as Cambodia reached 66 for 3. 44 more runs needed to reach the final.

We were sure Lugman Butt would see his new country home to victory but he was caught and bowled for 16 on 78 for 4. 32 runs were needed in 8 overs so who would be the hero for Cambodia now?

It was Ram Sharam who had already taken three wickets and had moved towards 40. With Etienne Beukes at the other end Sharan finished the match in a rush. He hit 4 sixes and 4 fours in 61* from 46 balls as Cambodia reached their target with 5.1 overs to spare.

Newcomers Cambodia had just beaten Singapore a country with a historic cricketing past by six wickets. They have reached the final of the first ACC tournament they have played in and won a position in the Premier Cup where they will take their place on the world stage.

Player of the match was Ram Sharan who added an unbeaten 61 to figures of 3 for 14. Singapore will now face Japan in the third place play-off but it will be Cambodia who play Saudi Arabia in the final with both matches played at TCG on Sunday.