Malaysia Women secured their place in the Asian Games T20I Qualifier final after edging past Nepal by two wickets in a tense encounter at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur. Chasing a target of 127, the hosts reached 127 for 8 in 18.4 overs, sealing victory with eight balls remaining despite a late collapse that nearly turned the match in Nepal’s favour.
The chase was built around a blistering innings from Elsa Hunter, who struck 48 off just 24 deliveries to earn the Player of the Match award. Her aggressive knock included 10 fours and a six, with 46 of her runs coming through boundaries, setting a new Malaysian women’s WT20I record for most runs scored in boundaries in a single innings.
Earlier, Nepal struggled to gain momentum after opting to bat first. Samjhana Khadka was run out early for 2, and Malaysia tightened their grip when Winifred Duraisingam removed Puja Mahato and Sony Pakhrin in quick succession, leaving Nepal at 27 for 3 at the end of the powerplay.
Captain Indu Barma then anchored the innings with a composed knock, holding the batting together through the middle overs. Rubi Poddar added 17 from 22 balls before falling, while Nepal reached 58 for 4 after 13 overs with scoring proving difficult.
The late surge came through Kabita Kunwar, who produced a rapid 33 off 15 balls, striking 4 fours and a six. Her cameo helped lift Nepal to 126 for 6 in their 20 overs, with Barma finishing unbeaten on 46 off 41 deliveries. For Malaysia, Duraisingam led the bowling effort with 2 for 18, while Mahirah Izzati Ismail and Aisya Eleesa chipped in with one wicket each.
Malaysia’s chase began with an early setback as Duraisingam was dismissed for a duck, but Hunter immediately counterattacked. Alongside Ainna Hamizah Hashim, who scored 18 off 18 balls, she propelled Malaysia to 55 for 1 in the powerplay and past 70 before her dismissal in the eighth over.
Despite contributions from Mahirah Izzati Ismail (14) and Dhanusri Muhunan (21), Malaysia appeared in full control at 115 for 4, needing just 12 more runs. However, Nepal mounted a dramatic comeback through Riya Sharma, who claimed 3 for 20, removing key batters and triggering a collapse. Rubina Chhetry supported with 2 for 21, while Sita Rana Magar added one wicket as Malaysia slipped to 117 for 8.
With the match hanging in the balance, Wan Julia and Nur Qalysha held their nerve to guide the team home. Julia remained unbeaten on 6 off 4 balls and struck the winning boundary, while Qalysha also stayed not out as Malaysia completed a hard-fought victory.
Hunter’s early assault ultimately proved decisive as Malaysia overcame a late scare to book their place in the final, where they will face Thailand, who defeated China in the first semi-final.
