Thailand’s dream of a place in the 2020 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia remains alive as they overcame a terrible start with the bat to beat Namibia by 38 runs in the qualifying competition in Scotland. Thailand and Ireland both now have two wins in Group B and so have made certain of their places in the semi-finals. Thailand are competing in the qualifier for an ICC Women’s T20 World Cup for the fourth time and it is the first time they have reached the semi-finals.
The Thai girls’ dream had become a nightmare after 10 overs of their innings after choosing to bat as they slipped to 37 for 6 in their worst batting display of the year. Namibia’s unfamiliar medium pace bowling attack with all nine out-fielders tightly packed in the 25 yard circle made Thailand’s tried and tested approach of piercing the field or scampering singles difficult.
Thankfully, Thailand’s captain fantastic Sornnarin Tippoch was determined that her team’s hopes would not come to an end like this and she played a perfect example of a captain’s innings as she hit 37* from 41 balls with 4 fours. Another very capable cricketer Wongpaka Liengprasert gave her fine support as they added 62 for the seventh wicket to take Thailand to a total of 99 for 6 in 20 overs. Sornnarin had known that a total close to 80 would keep her team in with a good chance of victory so the final total was more than she could have hoped for.
It was Chanida Sutthiruang who claimed the player of the match again as she returned figures of 4 for 13 and once she and Nattaya Boochatham had each taken a wicket with their first balls to leave Namibia two wickets down with one run on the board, the match was efffectively decided in Thailand’s favour. Chanida never quite settled in her action today but when she got it right her big in-swingers were almost impossible to play at this level.
Namibia were bowled out for 61 in the last over of their innings and when Ireland defeated Netherlands by 19 runs, both teams had qualified for the semi-finals with two wins out of two. In the other group Scotland were shocked by a plucky PNG team who reached 102 for 4 to beat the hosts by six wickets. Bangladesh overcame USA by eight wickets and will face PNG in a re-run of their opening match which was washed out. Thailand now face Ireland on Tuesday in a contest that will decide who wins the group and they will soon know which team they will face in the sem-finals.
