06-07-2025
Debutant-heavy national U-16 cricket squad clinch bronze medal
KUALA LUMPUR: Nazril Rahman passed his first test with flying colours as national junior cricket coach, guiding Malaysia to the bronze medal at the ACC Under-16 East Zone Cup (50 Overs), which concluded on Saturday.
The 32-year-old, who retired after the 2023 Phnom Penh Sea Games, guided Malaysia to a five-wicket win over Hong Kong at the Selangor Turf Club to secure third place.
Nepal were crowned champions after edging Singapore by two wickets in the final at the YSD-UKM pitch in Bangi.
Nazril praised his young team's resilience, noting that 12 of the 14 players were making their international debuts.
"All our hard work over the past year paid off," said Nazril.
"Of the 14 players, 12 were playing their first international tournament, and they showed great fighting spirit and followed the game plan well.
"It was a challenge transitioning from 20-over to 50-over cricket, but they adapted and learned quickly.
"This is a dream come true — my first assignment as national coach."
