PETALING JAYA: The Malaysian women’s bowling team booked their place in the World Championships semi-finals – and did it in emphatic fashion.
The team topped the second round with 15 points, finishing ahead of Singapore, the United States and South Korea, who each collected 12 points at the Top Bowl in Kai Tak Sports Park, Hong Kong yesterday.
Their strong finish came as a pleasant surprise, considering they placed only fifth in the opening round with 1,384 pinfalls. Still, it was enough to advance to the second round, where only the top eight teams progressed.
The squad – Sin Li Jane (pic), Natasha Roslan, Siti Safiyah Amirah Abdul Rahman, Nur Lyana Nastasia Norkamal, Adelia Nur Irwan Syazalee and Gillian Lim – won five games in the second round to seal their place in tomorrow’s semi-finals, which will be held outdoors at Queen Elizabeth Stadium in Kowloon.
Team senior Li Jane, 33, said both rounds demanded plenty from the bowlers, but they remained composed throughout.
“Every one of us stayed focused until the last shot. In this format, we get only two shots per game, so every move counts. We want to win this tournament, so the concentration and motivation are high,” she said.
“We bowled at the stadium in January during the World Cup, so we’re familiar with the environment. We’ve already started practising there to make sure we’re fully prepared for the semis,” said Li Jane, who was part of the team that won the silver in the IBF World Cup in Hong Kong.
“Reaching the semi-finals with this team means a lot to us. We’re pushing hard to win a medal in this format. It’s tough, but we’ll give everything for the best result.”
In contrast, the men’s team – Rafiq Ismail, Hafiz Zainuddin, Syazirol Syamsudin, Danial Abu Samah, Izz Naqiuddin Putera Islahuddin and Hazim Al-Hanafiah – struggled to find their rhythm.
They finished 23rd with 1,371 pinfalls, well short of the top-eight target needed to progress to the next round.
