Ali Dawood leads historic bowling demolition
Bahrain secured a clinical eight-wicket victory over Mongolia in Match 15 of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Asia Sub Regional Qualifier A, driven by a spectacular bowling display at the
The architect of the destruction was Ali Dawood, who produced a career-defining spell. Dawood finished with remarkable figures of 5/5 from his four overs, consistently finding the right lines to leave the Mongolian batters with no answer. The pressure applied by the Bahraini bowlers ensured that no partnership could develop, as the Mongolian innings crumbled under the weight of disciplined, accurate bowling.
Gandemberel Ganbold and Sodbileg Gantulga were the joint-top scorers for Mongolia, each managing only four runs. The lack of resistance meant that the innings was effectively over before it could ever gain momentum, with the team failing to reach even the 20-run mark.
A swift chase despite early stutters
Chasing a target of just 18 runs, Bahrain looked to finish the game quickly, though they did encounter a minor hiccup in the opening over. The side lost two early wickets, including Shujaat Rasool, who fell with the score at 11 in just 0.4 overs, momentarily stalling the momentum.
However, the target was far too small to cause any genuine alarm. Asif Ali steadied the ship, striking 11 runs off just three balls to steer his side toward the finish line. Supported by Fiaz Ahmed, Bahrain reached the required total in rapid fashion, closing the match at 18/2 to confirm a dominant win.
While the chase saw a brief moment of tension, the result was never in doubt following the first-innings collapse. Alongside Dawood’s heroics, Abdul Majid also contributed to a strong team performance that kept Bahrain firmly in control throughout the contest. The victory serves as a significant statement in the ongoing qualifier series, highlighting the gulf in class between the two sides on the day.
