ICC T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier: Thailand beat Bhutan by 8-wicket; China clinch victory over Myanmar

Thailand were frustrated by the opening pair of Tenjin Rabgey and Suprit Pradhan.

The fifth day of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier B began with Thailand easing past Bhutan's 83 all out in the 11th over of their chase to set up a winner-takes-all bout against Malaysia. The winner of that contest will progress to the Asia Regional Final in Nepal in November. In the afternoon game, Chen Zhuoyue's 4-16 powered China to their first and only victory of the tournament over an ultimately winless Myanmar.

In the first match of the day, Thailand won the toss and opted to bowl first. Thailand were frustrated by the opening pair of Tenjin Rabgey and Suprit Pradhan. Rabgey brought up his first boundary by driving Nopphon Senamontree through the off side in the fourth over before repeating the dose against Chalermwong Chatphaisan. Yet, Rabgey couldn't kick on, getting dismissed for 22 after hitting a Robert Raina full toss straight to Sorawat Desungnoen.

Senamontree hit back with the wickets of Suprit Pradhan and Namgay Thinley, the latter bowled by the left-arm spinner. Robert Raina had Kishen Ghalley caught behind in the next over to double his wicket tally before Gakul Kumar Ghalley missed a sweep shot and got bowled to give Sarawut Maliwan his first wicket. Bhutan had slid from 36 for no loss in the seventh over to 45 for five in the 11th. They failed to recover from these body blows, eventually folding for 83 in the 19th over.

Thailand's chase got off to a less-than-ideal start. Satarut Rungrueang overbalanced and was stumped off the bowling of Tashi Phuntsho off the fistball of the innings. Yet, Bhutan lost their radar with the ball, allowing Desungnoen to get off to a flier. The right-hander pumped Tenzin Wangchuk down the ground for four off a no-ball before slogging the resulting free hit over the leg side boundary.

By the time he was bowled by Suprit Pradhan for 27 in the fourth over, the score had rocketed to 49. Akshaykumar Yadav and Narawit Nuntarach had no problems knocking off the remaining runs, finishing unbeaten on 31 and 15, respectively. Yadav earned the Player-of-the-match award for his composed knock.

In the second match of the day, China's decision to bowl first paid early dividends. Luo Shilin bowled the opposition skipper for 4 to reduce Myanmar to 30 for four in the tenth over. Ye Naing Tun tried to wrestle back the momentum, slog-sweeping Shilin for six. Yet, both him and his partner Swann Htet Ko Ko were stumped off the bowling of eventual Player-of-the-Match Zhuoyue.

Myanmar, to their credit, managed to bat out their overs, reaching a total of 77. Paing Danu got Myanmar off to an encouraging start, trapping Wei Guolei in front before disturbing the timber of Xie Kunkun to restrict China to 13 for two in the fifth over.

Yet, Zhuang Zelin and Wang Liuyang combined for a 49-run partnership that guided their team to safety. In spite of a trio of quick wickets toward the end of their chase, China cruised home with nearly three overs to spare. (ANI)

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