Fiji v Kuwait: ICC World Cricket League Division Six – Match Recap
Kuwait secured a convenient seven-wicket win against Fiji in a crucial game of the ICC World Cricket League Division Six, at Kinrara Academy Oval, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, on Wednesday, September 21, 2011.
The rain spoiled the party for some time but eventually an entertaining contest was produced by the two teams. Hisham Mirza, the skipper of Kuwait team, won the toss and choose to field first as the pitch was expected to assist bowlers in the initial part
of the day.
Although Kuwait started off the show on a high by getting early wickets, Fiji’s middle-order performed fantastically and put things back in order.
The two openers, Jikoi Kida and Joji Bulabalavu, lost their wickets after scoring one and 21 respectively before Maciu Gauna went back to the dressing room without troubling the scorecard.
Josefa Rika played a captain’s knock and smashed a beautiful innings of 55 before his dismissal. He was supported well by Waisake Tukana who gathered his unbeaten 50, though at a low strike rate.
Later in the innings, Iniasi Cakacaka’s blistering knock of 20 runs helped the side reach 173 for six before the weather forced the officials to stop the play after 43.5 overs.
Due to continuous rain, the innings was abandoned and Kuwait were given a target of 161 from 29 overs.
From Kuwait's bowling department, Sibtain Raza bagged three wickets, while Saad Khalid picked up a couple of scalps. Meanwhile, Abdullah Akhunzada also dismissed a batsman.
In reply, even though it was not easy to score quickly after heavy showers, the Kuwaiti openers commenced the run-chase on a great note.
Irfan Bhatti and Abid Mushtaq put together 73 runs for the first-wicket-stand and laid a solid platform for the following batsmen. The latter got out after smashing a brutal knock of 43 off just 24 balls. He hit six boundaries and wrecked the ball out of
the park on a couple of occasions.
Bhatti however, played responsibly and clattered 28 runs before being bowled out by Cakacaka. Sibtain Raza, who came out to bat after the fall of the first wicket, failed to capitalise and returned to the pavilion after collecting just six runs.
However, it did not impose any pressure on Saud Qamar and the captain, Mirza.
Qamar and Mirza piled up 40 and 31 runs respectively and guided their side to a comfortable seven-wicket victory. The side overwhelmed the target with 16 balls to spare.
Cakacaka was the only Fiji bowler who left the field with wickets to his credit. He nabbed three scalps for just 13 in his six overs. While none of the other bowlers could manage to claim a wicket. The Fiji bowlers gave away 14 extras in the innings.