U19 Women's T20 WC Qualifiers: Thailand defeat Malaysia on Day 1

Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], June 3 (ANI): Commanding all-round displays powered Thailand to a convincing win over Malaysia by 85 runs on Day One of the ICC Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier.
A 69-run partnership for the 4th wicket between Thipatcha Putthawong (32 of 32 balls) and Sunida Chaturongrattana (28 not out off 24 balls) propelled Thailand to 133 for four wickets before Nanthita Boonsukham picked up five wickets to help bowl Malaysia out for 48 in 13.4 overs.
After winning the toss and choosing to bat, Thailand started cautiously before openers Banthida Leephatthana and Nannaphat Chaihan accelerated the scoring. At 43/1 in the seventh over, they had built a solid platform before Leephatthana and Chaihan were dismissed by Nur Dania and Malaysian skipper Elsa Hunter, respectively.
With the dot ball pressure mounting, Aphisara Suwanchonrathi was run out with one delivery left in the tenth over. With Thailand at 49/3, Malaysia would have sensed an opportunity to cause an upset.
However, Thai captain Putthawong and Chaturongrattana had other ideas. By minimizing dot balls and scoring boundaries at regular intervals, they put Malaysia's bowlers under pressure. Phannita Maya walked in at the fall of her captain's wicket to contribute an unbeaten nine at a run-a-ball to close out the Thai innings.
In the second innings, Putthawong won the battle of the captains, dismissing her opposite number Elsa Hunter bowled off the first ball of Malaysia's response. The Malaysians never recovered from the early loss of their best batter as Boonsukham scythed through a Malaysian line-up, where no batter managed to register a double-figure score. (ANI)