U19 Women's T20 WC Asia Qualifier: Mahika Gaur shines as UAE defeat Malaysia

Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], June 6 : UAE left-arm seamer Mahika Gaur starred with a hat-trick in UAE's win over Malaysia on the third day of the ICC Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier.
Gaur was instrumental in restricting hosts Malaysia to a total of 33-9 before the UAE's batters knocked off the target in four overs to set up a 9-wicket win at the UKM-YSD Cricket Oval.
UAE's bowlers vindicated captain Theertha Satish's decision to bowl first as they reduced Malaysia 4-4 in the third over. Gaur, on the back of a five-wicket haul against Nepal on Saturday, picked up all of the first four wickets to fall, sending Malaysia's top order back to the dugout.
She began the third over bowling Malaysian wicket-keeper Nurhasyimah Tajuddin for a duck and repeated it twice more to send back Nur Samad and Musfirah Azmi to complete her hat-trick.
Barring a 22-ball 11 from Nurul Adeb, no other Malaysian registered a double-digit score as the UAE were set a manageable 34 for victory.
In reply, the UAE openers, Lavanya Keny (13*) and Theertha Satish (5) made a dash for the target but the latter was caught off Nur Samad in the third over. Samaira Dharnidharka, who had earlier picked two wickets with the ball, struck two boundaries to see her side over the line at the end of the fourth over.
"Very happy that the plan was executed correctly and we got the reward for it. Hopefully, we can continue the momentum for the next two matches and we can go to the World Cup," she said in a statement.