Toss Thailand chose to bat vs Malaysia
With a translator in tow at the toss, Putthawong said she wanted to make use of conditions that were breezy and sunny to their advantage. Thailand have a young squad with Natthakan Chantham and regular captain Naruemol Chaiwai missing due to injury. They handed a maiden international cap to 20-year-old batter Nannaphat Chaihan, who was pencilled to open the innings alongside the more experienced Nattaya Boochatham.
Malaysia captain Winifred Duraisingam was confident of her team’s balance, and was not fussed about losing the toss. Top-order batter Mas Elysa, who is the only batter other than Duraisingam with over 1000 runs in women’s T20Is for Malaysia has been left out.
The match is being played on the same strip that hosted the two matches on the opening day of the Women’s Asia Cup. Marina Iqbal inspected the pitch and said that it was dry, hard and had a slight covering of grass. She suggested that “anything pitched short” could hold onto the surface.
Malaysia: 1 Winifred Duraisingam (capt), 2 Jamahidaya Intan, 3 Ainna Hamizah Hashim, 4 Wan Julia (wk), 5 Elsa Hunter, 6 Aina Najwa, 7 Mahirah Izzati Ismail, 8 Amalin Sorfina, 9 Aisya Eleesa, 10, Dhanusri Muhunan, 11 Suabika Manivannan
Thailand: 1 Nattaya Boochatham, 2 Nannaphat Chaihan, 3 Suwanan Khiaoto, 4 Nannapat Koncharoenkai (wk), 5 Phannita Maya, 6 Chanida Sutthiruang, 7 Rosenan Kanoh, 8 Thipatcha Putthawong (capt), 9 Onnicha Kamchomphu, 10 Suleeporn Laomi 11 Aphisara Suwanchonrathi