Who is Malaysia's Sayazrul Ezat Idrus, the 1st male cricketer to bag 7-wicket haul in T20I?

Syazrul Ezat Idrus from Malaysia made a groundbreaking impact during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 Asia Regional Qualifier B tournament in Kuala Lumpur.

Ovaise Shariff

First Published Jul 26, 2023, 5:32 PM IST | Last Updated Jul 26, 2023, 5:32 PM IST

Syazrul Ezat Idrus, the seamer from Malaysia, etched his name in cricketing history during the opening day of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 Asia Regional Qualifier B tournament in Kuala Lumpur. Idrus accomplished a remarkable feat by becoming the first male cricketer to take seven wickets in a Men's T20 International (T20I) match. The historic moment occurred during the first match of the event against China, where Idrus finished with exceptional figures of 7/8. His extraordinary performance played a pivotal role in Malaysia's comprehensive eight-wicket victory at Bayuemas Oval.

Prior to Idrus' exceptional display, only 12 bowlers had managed six-wicket hauls in Men's T20Is, including renowned names like India's Deepak Chahar and Yuzvendra Chahal, Australia's Ashton Agar, and Sri Lanka's Ajantha Mendis. However, the elusive seven-wicket haul had remained unattainable until Idrus' incredible effort.

Idrus displayed his mastery over the conditions in Pandamaran, single-handedly dismantling the Chinese batting line-up. All seven of his wickets were claimed through bowled dismissals, as the visitors were bundled out for a mere 23 runs in the 12th over.

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In response, Malaysia faced a slight hiccup, losing two quick wickets during their chase. However, they ultimately reached the victory target in the fifth over, kickstarting the qualifying tournament they are hosting ahead of the T20 World Cup to be held in the USA and West Indies the following year.

The winner of this regional tournament will progress to the Asia Regional Final in Nepal in November, with the top two teams from that event securing their spots in the T20 World Cup scheduled for 2024.

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