Captain Winifred Duraisingam and Mas Elysa Yasmin Zulkifli each stroked half-centuries in Malaysia's record-breaking 117-run win over Singapore in the ACC women's T20 Championship opening match at the Kinrara Oval yesterday.
Malaysia, who also have Oman, Qatar and favourites the United Arab Emirates for company in Group A, secured an eighth win in 10 women's T20I meetings with Singapore after reaching 171 runs for four before bowling out their Causeway rivals for 54.
The total surpassed Malaysia's previous highest of 161 posted in an 81-run win over Kuwait last November, which had also been Malaysia's biggest victory margin in terms of runs, in 34 women's T20Is.
The two finalists at the 10-team tournament, the last to be held at the Kinrara Oval before it is demolished to make way for development, advance to the women's Twenty20 Asia Cup in Bangladesh in October.
Mas Elysa reached her maiden fifty in 30 women's T20I appearances off 32 balls but Shafina Mahesh ended the 119-run partnership with Winifred when Mas Elysa was caught at cover point for 59, having hit nine fours and a six off 39 deliveries.
Winifred lashed the ball towards the deep extra cover boundary to bring up her 50 off 47 balls, her second in 28 WT20I appearances, but was bowled next ball by G.K. Diviya to leave Malaysia on 153-3.
Singapore were never a factor in their reply with the Malaysian bowlers contributing 22 extras to the Singapore total as Nik Nur Atiela Nik Din, Aisya Eleesa Firdaus, Sasha Azmi and Mas Elysa picked up two wickets each.
"I'm proud of the team, we batted well without too many dot balls and rotated the strike," said Mas Elysa, 21, after being named player of the match.
At the UKM Oval in Bangi, Nepal beat Bhutan by 50 runs in Group B, which also includes Bahrain, Hong Kong and Kuwait. Malaysia meets Qatar in Bangi today.
SCORES — Malaysia 171-4 (Mas Elysa Yasmin 59, D Winifred 50, Ada Bhasin 2-39). Singapore 54 in 17.4 overs (P. Vigineswari 10, Nik Nur Atila 2-2). Malaysia won by 117 runs.