By Anas Ahmed 
Qatar Bounce Back in Style
After a quiet start to the qualifiers, Qatar found momentum with a commanding eight-wicket win over Malaysia in the Group A clash of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Asia & EAP Qualifier 2025 at Al Amarat.
Led by a magnificent unbeaten half-century from Zubair Ali, the Qatar batting unit made light work of Malaysia’s total of 123.
Malaysia Falter Despite Virandeep’s Lone Resistance
Opting to bat first, Malaysia failed to build partnerships after early wickets.
Skipper Syed Aziz fell cheaply, but Muhammad Haziq Aiman’s quickfire 23 off 11 balls briefly lifted the scoring rate. From there, it was the Virandeep Singh show — the all-rounder anchored the innings with a composed 62 off 54 balls, including five fours and three sixes.
However, wickets tumbled at the other end. Qatar’s bowlers maintained tight lines, led by Mirza Mohammed Baig, who produced a superb spell of 4/17. Spinner Owais Ahmed stole the spotlight in the 16th over, claiming a hat-trick to derail Malaysia’s lower order completely. His final figures of 3/13 sealed an outstanding display.
Malaysia managed 123/9 in 20 overs, a total that always looked under par on a good batting surface.
Zubair Ali Guides Qatar to Victory
In reply, Qatar’s chase was anchored by Zubair Ali’s unbeaten 65 off 44 balls, an innings full of control and power. The right-hander struck five sixes and two fours, pacing the innings perfectly.
He was well-supported by captain Mirza Mohammed Baig, who smashed a brisk 35 not out off 19 balls to seal the win. The pair added an unbroken 55-run partnership that guided Qatar to 124/2 in 17.1 overs, winning with 17 balls to spare.
Malaysia’s bowlers struggled for breakthroughs, with only Khizar Hayat (1/25) and Virandeep Singh (1/22) managing to make an impact.
Brief Scores
Malaysia: 123/9 (Virandeep Singh 62*, Haziq Aiman 23; Baig 4/17, Owais Ahmed 3/13)
Qatar: 124/2 in 17.1 overs (Zubair Ali 65*, Mirza Baig 35*; Khizar Hayat 1/25)
Result: Qatar won by 8 wickets (17 balls remaining)
Player of the Match: Zubair Ali (Qatar)
Post-Match Reaction
Player of the Match Zubair Ali said:
“We wanted a solid start after losing early last game. The plan was to play smart, and the partnership with Mirza made things easy. Our bowlers set the platform perfectly.”
Captain Mirza Baig praised the collective effort:
“It was an all-round performance — tight bowling, excellent fielding, and Zubair’s knock was world-class.”
FAQ: Malaysia vs Qatar T20 Qualifier 2025
Q: Who won the Malaysia vs Qatar match?
A: Qatar defeated Malaysia by 8 wickets in Al Amarat.
Q: Who was the Player of the Match?
A: Zubair Ali for his unbeaten 65.
Q: What was Owais Ahmed’s bowling achievement?
A: He took a hat-trick and finished with 3/13.
Q: What total did Malaysia post?
A: Malaysia managed 123/9 in 20 overs.
Q: How many overs did Qatar need to win?
A: Qatar chased the target in 17.1 overs.