SEPANG – National women’s cricket team captain Winifred Anne Duraisingam is determined to change the colour of the medal won by the team at the 2017 SEA Games to gold at the games’ 2023 edition in Cambodia next month.
The team clinched the bronze medal in the 2017 edition on home turf.
Even though the Malaysian Cricket Association (MCA) is targeting three silver medals to be contributed by the team, Winifred believed that they would win the gold in the three events, namely Ten10 (T10), Twenty20 (T20) and 50-overs, which would be held at the AZ Group Cricket Oval, Hun Sen Boulevard in Phnom Penh.
The confidence of the SMK Lembah Keramat teacher derived from the spirit of determination showcased by her teammates in their mission to keep the Malaysian flag flying high at the biennial games.
“I can see it on their faces that they are excited to do this and our trainings have also been positive…I do hope we can make Malaysia proud by winning the gold at the 2023 SEA Games,” she said when met at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2 before departing to Cambodia today.
On Thailand’s status as the favourite team that could affect Malaysia’s gold hunt, Winifred said it did not scare them as she believed the national team has the potential to tame their opponents no matter who they are.
“We know that Thailand have played in the World Cup in addition to winning the T20 event at the 2017 SEA Games, but we will fight and prove that we can win it for Malaysia,” she said.
The right-arm bowler also said that her recent experience playing with the Tornadoes at the T20 FairBreak International in Hong Kong is hoped to improve her performance ahead of the SEA Games.
The 30-year-old cricketer said she would definitely share with the team all the tips she gathered from the world’s top cricketers including from Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Pakistan in Hong Kong as an additional tonic to face the competition in Cambodia.
Meanwhile, another bowler Aisya Eleesa Erni Firdauz, 20, admitted being excited about making her debut at the SEA Games.
“I’m nervous of course, but I would definitely apply all the experiences I had, including playing at the Women’s T20 Asia Cup in Bangladesh last year, into our game in Cambodia,” she said.
For the T10 competition, the national squad was drawn together with Thailand and Singapore in Group A while for the T20 event, Malaysia is in Group A with Thailand, the Philippines and Myanmar.
In the 50-overs event, Malaysia is also with Thailand and Myanmar in Group A.
The 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia is slated for May 5 to 17. – Bernama, April 27, 2023
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