The Malta national team had to settle for second place in the Pan European T20 tournament in Hungary after reaching the final with three comprehensive victories in the group stages.

Malta, winners of the 2014 tournament, started with an emphatic nine-wicket win over eventual winners Dubai side UCT. Against Bulgaria, Malta enjoyed their most comprehensive victory in T20 internationals (by 119 runs). The team then qualified for the final defeating hosts Hungary by seven wickets.

The final began with UCT winning the toss and electing to field first.

Malta made steady progress but lost captain Nowell Khosla (8) and vice-captain Bikram Arora (10) within the first eight overs.

Haroon Mughal’s 38 off 24 balls took Malta to 97 for three off 12 overs. However, his wicket saw UCT seize the initiative. Malta reached the respectable tally of 145, largely thanks to Zubair Raja – unbeaten on 31.

In reply, UCT lost two early wickets and scored 36 for two from the six over Powerplay. Twenty four runs came from the preceding two overs and shifted the momentum to the UCT team. Opening batsman Ali Azmat rode his luck and notched up an unbeaten 95 to steer UCT to victory by seven wickets.

It was a bitter pill to swallow for Malta, especially after defeating UCT so convincingly on the opening day of the tournament.

Final standings: 1. UCT Dubai; 2. Malta; 3. Romania; 4. Hungary. 5; Bulgaria.

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