Dambulla, July 20 (IANS): A solid bowling effort, especially towards the fag-end of the match, helped Thailand register their first win of the 2024 Women’s Asia Cup after beating Malaysia by 22 runs at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

Batting first, Thailand posted 133/6 in 20 overs, with Nannapat Koncharoenkai making 40 off 35 balls. For Malaysia, Mahirah Izzati Ismail was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 3-16. In reply, despite Wan Julia making 52 off 53 balls, Malaysia couldn’t get over the line and finished at 111/8 in their 20 overs.

Malaysia were 83/1 before Thailand made a comeback towards the fag-end of the match as they picked seven wickets for just 24 runs. Despite being sloppy in their ground fielding, Thailand did enough to get a win under new captain Thipatcha Putthawong.

Electing to bat first, Thailand lost both openers in their first three overs. Nannapat, the wicketkeeper-batter, hit six boundaries in her 35-ball 40, before becoming one of Mahirah's three victims in the game.

Though Thailand could only post 65 in their final ten overs, Nannapat’s 48-run stand with Phannita Maya (22) for the fourth wicket ensured they finished with a respectable total. In reply, Malaysia scored 36/0 in their batting powerplay, thanks to five boundaries being hit collectively by their experienced batting duo of Julia and captain Winifred Duraisingam.

The duo shared a 68-run opening stand before Winifred fell in the 12th over after being castled by off-spinner Onnicha Kamchomphu. Though Julia brought up her maiden T20I fifty to become Malaysia's first half-century-making batter in the Women’s Asia Cup, she didn’t get support from the other end as Malaysia lost out to a spirited Thailand.

Brief scores:

Thailand 133/6 in 20 overs (Nannapat Koncharoenkai 40, Phannita Maya 29, Mahirah Izzati Ismail 3-16) beat Malaysia 111/8 in 20 overs (Wan Julia 52, Onnicha Kamchomphu 2-20) by 22 runs.