Malaysian men survive roll-off as both teams reach World Cup last 16
The defending men's champions will meet Qatar, while Malaysia's women face Australia after finishing third in their qualifying group in Munich.
Malaysia secured places in both team knockout competitions at the IBF World Cup in Munich, with the defending men's champions recovering from a difficult start and the women qualifying third in Group B.
Rafiq Ismail, Timmy Tan, Tun Hakim Tun Hasnul Azam and Ahmad Muaz Fishol had managed only two wins from their first six Group D matches. They then beat Kuwait, Guatemala, the Netherlands, Serbia and Cyprus, each 2-0, to complete qualifying with seven wins, four defeats and 21 points.
Level on points with Denmark and the Netherlands, Malaysia claimed the group's fourth and final qualifying place through a roll-off. Their score of 192 beat Denmark's 182 and the Netherlands' 177, setting up a last-16 meeting with Group A winners Qatar.
The women's quartet of Natasha Roslan, Sin Li Jane, Adelia Nur Irwan Syazalee and Nur Hazirah Ramli recorded 11 wins and two defeats across 13 rounds, including two automatic wins from byes. They collected 33 points, placing behind Macao, China, on 39 and Sweden on 33.
Malaysia's women ended qualifying by beating Greece, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Poland and China 2-0 in succession. They will play Australia in the last 16. Malaysian Tenpin Bowling Congress secretary-general Maradona Chok praised the men's persistence and the women's performances.
Natasha had earlier taken singles silver after a 2-1 defeat by France's Manon Clement in the final. At the previous World Cup in Hong Kong, Malaysia won the men's team title against Puerto Rico, while the women finished runners-up to the United States.
