Scott Burdekin’s All-Round Heroics Secure Narrow Victory for Cyprus
PORT SOIF – Cyprus held their nerve to claim a tense 6-run win over Malta in the 7th Place Play-off of the ICC T20 World Cup Sub Regional Europe Qualifier C. Scott Burdekin was the star of the match, delivering a match-winning performance with both bat and ball to help Cyprus defend a modest total at the Guernsey Rovers Athletic Club Ground.
After being put into bat, Cyprus struggled to build momentum but managed to post 134 runs in 19.3 overs. Scott Austin’s quickfire 32 off 22 balls provided a much-needed boost in the middle order, while Burdekin chipped in with 2 crucial runs and later took 4 wickets for 22 runs to break Malta’s chase.
Malta, in reply, fell just short of the target, finishing at 128/7 in their 20 overs. Rockey Dianish led Malta’s chase with a valiant 48 off 51 balls, but Burdekin’s lethal bowling spell ensured Cyprus clinched the narrow victory.
Match Summary:
Cyprus Innings:
- Scott Austin: 32 (22)
- Chamal Sadun: 29 (25)
- Jaswinder Singh: 3/17
Malta Innings:
- Rockey Dianish: 48 (51)
- Darshit Patankar: 30* (18)
- Scott Burdekin: 4/22
Result: Cyprus beat Malta by 6 runs.
Player of the Match: Scott Burdekin (Cyprus) – 4/22 & 2 (2 balls).
Records and Highlights:
- Chamal Sadun became the top scorer for Cyprus in T20Is with 281 runs, surpassing Roman Mazumder’s 275.
- Cyprus’s 6-run win is their smallest margin of victory in T20Is, bettering their previous record of a 12-run win against Estonia.
Cyprus’s victory in this tightly contested match ensured they finished 7th in the tournament, with Scott Burdekin’s all-around performance sealing their hard-fought win over Malta.
