Belgium vs Malta, 4th Match

t20Belgium won by 103 runs

Stars Arena Hofstade, Zemst

31 May 2025, 5:30 pm IST

Malta won the toss, chose to bowl

Winner: Belgium

Belgium Inning Score: 177 /5

Batter	Dismissal	Runs	Balls	4s	6s	SR
Omid Mailk Khel	c chanjal sudarsanan b david marks	11	9	2	0	122.22
Ali Raza	c chanjal sudarsanan b david marks	18	15	2	1	120
Burhan Niaz	c jamsheed kunnanchirakkal b mehboob ali	12	6	2	0	200
Shaheryar Butt	c jamsheed kunnanchirakkal b jaswinder singh	45	39	3	2	115.38
Oliver Herrington	not out	44	37	1	3	118.92
Saber Zakhil	run out	43	14	3	5	307.14

Bowler	Overs	Runs	Wickets	Wide Balls	Economy
Mehboob Ali	4	38	1	1	9.5
David Marks	4	29	2	0	7.2
Jaswinder Singh	3	29	1	1	9.7
Varun Prasath Thamotharam	3	17	0	0	5.7
Priyan Pushparajan	4	42	0	0	10.5
Amar Sharma	2	20	0	0	10

Malta Inning Score: 74

Batter	Dismissal	Runs	Balls	4s	6s	SR
Rockey Dianish	c and b oliver herrington	21	35	3	0	60
Darshit Patankar	c khalid ahmadi b iftikhar tankhel	4	8	0	0	50
Priyan Pushparajan	c zaki shah b murid ekrami	1	4	0	0	25
Varun Prasath Thamotharam	c oliver herrington b murid ekrami	0	7	0	0	0
Chanjal Sudarsanan	c rafiulah alokozai b zaki shah	4	13	0	0	30.77
Mehboob Ali	c zaki shah b iftikhar tankhel	9	9	0	1	100
Shrijay Patel	c ali raza b zaki shah	13	7	1	1	185.71
Jaswinder Singh	b zaki shah	1	5	0	0	20
Jamsheed Kunnanchirakkal	not out	1	1	0	0	100
Amar Sharma	b zaki shah	0	1	0	0	0
David Marks	b iftikhar tankhel	6	3	0	1	200

Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wickets	No Balls	Wide Balls	Economy
Murid Ekrami	4	1	8	2	0	1	2
Iftikhar Tankhel	3.2	0	14	3	0	1	4.2
Rafiulah Alokozai	2	0	10	0	1	1	5
Zaki Shah	4	0	27	4	0	6	6.8
Oliver Herrington	2	0	12	1	0	1	6

Match Summary

Match Highlights: Belgium vs Malta

Date: May 31, 2025

Belgium dominated Malta in the 4th match of the series, winning by a massive margin of 103 runs. Saber Zakhil's explosive batting and Zaki Shah's lethal bowling performance were key to Belgium's victory.

Summary

Winner: Belgium
Top Batter: Saber Zakhil (43 off 14, SR: 307.14)
Top Bowler: Zaki Shah (4 wickets for 27 runs in 4 overs)
Player of the Match: Zaki Shah
Key Partnerships: Shaheryar Butt (45) and Oliver Herrington (44) stabilized Belgium's innings.
Bowling Highlights: Zaki Shah and Iftikhar Tankhel dismantled Malta's batting order.
Interesting Moments: Oliver Herrington took a catch and bowled a batter in the same match.

Narrative

Belgium opted to bat first after losing the toss, and Malta chose to bowl. Belgium put up an impressive total of 177/5 in 20 overs. The innings featured explosive batting performances, especially from Saber Zakhil, who smacked 43 runs in just 14 balls with 5 sixes and 3 fours, achieving a staggering strike rate of 307.14. Shaheryar Butt contributed a solid 45 runs, while Oliver Herrington chipped in with 44 runs not out, hitting 3 sixes. Together, these batters kept the scoreboard ticking and built partnerships that Malta's bowlers struggled to break.

Malta's bowlers tried to contain Belgium, with David Marks picking up 2 wickets for 29 runs and Mehboob Ali and Jaswinder Singh each grabbing a wicket. However, they couldn't stop the onslaught from Belgium's middle-order batters.

In reply, Malta suffered an early collapse, losing wickets rapidly. Malta was bowled out for just 74 runs in 15.2 overs, with Rockey Dianish being the top scorer with 21 runs off 35 balls. Belgium's bowlers, led by Zaki Shah, were relentless. Shah delivered an outstanding spell, taking 4 wickets for 27 runs, including two bowled dismissals and a catch. Iftikhar Tankhel also impressed with figures of 3 wickets for 14 runs in 3.2 overs, and Murid Ekrami was economical with 2 wickets for just 8 runs from his 4 overs.

Belgium’s fielders were sharp, with Oliver Herrington taking a key catch and executing a caught-and-bowled dismissal. Rafiulah Alokozai and Ali Raza also contributed with catches to support their bowlers.

Key Performances

Batting

Saber Zakhil: 43 (14), 3 fours, 5 sixes, SR: 307.14
Shaheryar Butt: 45 (39), 3 fours, 2 sixes, SR: 115.38
Oliver Herrington: 44* (37), 1 four, 3 sixes, SR: 118.92

Bowling

Zaki Shah: 4/27, Eco: 6.8 (4 overs)
Iftikhar Tankhel: 3/14, Eco: 4.2 (3.2 overs)
Murid Ekrami: 2/8, Eco: 2.0 (4 overs)

Sequence of Events

Belgium Innings:
- Early wickets fell as Omid Mailk Khel (11) and Ali Raza (18) departed cheaply.
- Shaheryar Butt and Oliver Herrington built a steady partnership.
- Saber Zakhil exploded in the death overs with 43 off just 14 balls.
Malta Innings:
- Malta lost wickets rapidly, with batters like Priyan Pushparajan and Varun Prasath Thamotharam falling for single digits.
- Only Rockey Dianish showed some resistance with 21 runs.
- Zaki Shah and Iftikhar Tankhel tore through Malta's lineup, sealing a massive win for Belgium.

Belgium showcased an all-round performance, with their batters setting a daunting target and their bowlers executing a clinical attack. Malta's batting lineup crumbled under pressure, leading to a one-sided victory.