Match report: Malaysia claims victory in second T20I against Indonesia

By: RF Hobson

Malaysia claimed a comfortable 12-run victory over Indonesia to take a 2-0 lead in the four-match T20I series in Kuala Lumpur.

The result, which backed up Malaysia’s six-wicket victory in the opener, did not look likely initially. The hosts stumbled early with the bat after losing opener Aslam Khan, who was caught by Ferdinando Banunaek off Indonesia captain Danilson Howoe in the second over.

Caution dictated much of Malaysia’s batting in the early overs, but they started to build a platform through the muscular approach of Muhamad Syahadat and Adeshlie Alias.

Malaysia’s momentum was halted when Howoe continued to prove a thorn and turned the match on its head when he dismissed Syahadat and talisman Virandeep Singh in the sixth over.

Malaysia were further on the backfoot when Alias was well caught by Sampath Kharvi off Anjar Tadarus in the seventh over.

Determined to stem the haemorrhaging, Syed Aziz and Aqeel Wahid laid the groundwork for Malaysia’s comeback over the next three overs which were characterised by a smattering of singles and twos, as they expertly worked the ball around.

But Aziz was bowled by Kadek Gamantika in the tenth over as Malaysia slumped to 55 for 5 at the halfway point.

Amir Khan stepped up to the crease to continue the traction created by his compatriot, resulting in a further manipulation of the field. He clubbed 37 off 31 balls before his whirlwind ended in the 18th over when Howoe claimed another wicket with Ketut Artawan taking the catch.

Wahid’s 32 off 30 balls came to a close in the next over, with Apriliandy Rahayu taking the catch off the bowling of Dewa Pratama.

Despite a late collapse, which also included Muhammad Amir and Sharvin Muniandy, the hosts were in good shape after finishing with 137 for 9.

In reply, Indonesia also started off, perhaps, a little too slowly, only hitting two singles in their first two overs.

They appeared to be getting used to the pitch until the visitors defaulted to their favourite tactic of hitting big, which resulted in a solid strike by Gede Arta in the third over.

But Aziz quickly put Malaysia on top with the wickets of Arta and Dharma Kesuma in successive deliveries.

The double strikes seemed to keep Indonesia on the defensive despite some game counterattacking from Gede Priandana until he was bowled by the golden arm of Virandeep in the 10th over.

Much of the same approach characterised the rest of Indonesia’s innings as the visitors made a game push of the target but regularly lost untimely wickets. The dismissal of Anjar Tadarus in the 15th over by Amir Khan proved a major blow for Indonesia’s increasingly faint chances of chasing down the target.

Sampath Kharvi and Ketut Artawan fell to Khan in the 17th over, as Malaysia smelt victory.

Indonesia at least fought through the entire 20 overs, with Howoe and Rahayu hitting two sixes and a boundary at the death as they finished short of the target at 125 for 7.