At Kinrara, hosts Malaysia took on Nigeria with the former taking its time to put runs on the board after some strong and tight bowling from the Africans.

Saheed Akolade and Oluseye Olympio both going for few runs as the duo's medium pace seemed to perplex the Malaysian openers. The first wicket fell after some 73 runs when Shafiq Sherif departed for 43 after being judged lbw off the bowling of Oluwaseun Odeku again a medium-pacer.

Rakesh Madhavan was run-out off the bowling of Olajide Bejide but the next two batsmen made just 16 runs between them before a heavy downpour stopped play for close to four hours but good drainage at Kinrara Oval allowed the teams back on to play a game reduced to 29 overs.

Nigeria was set a target of 181 after Duckworth-Lewis was calculated, which the side began to chase down in the afternoon sunshine as the rain clouds burned away. The side failed to spark against strong bowling and fielding from the hosts, Eszrafiq Azis being the pick of the Malaysian attack with 4-27.

Poor batting saw the Nigerians requiring 82 runs off the final over of the game, a near impossible task as the sun began to set over Kinrara and the hosts wrapped things up scoring a 79-run victory.

A disappointed Nigerian captain Endurance Ofem said: 'I was really pleased with how we bowled this morning. We kept things tight and things looked to be going really well until the rain set in. Obviously that's disappointing and we didn't do well at chasing down the target set with the reduced overs but we have to take the positives and move on for Tuesday's game.'

Malaysia's coach Thushara Kodikara was pleased with how his bowlers went today in the reduced-overs fixture.

'I think credit has to go Nigeria's bowling in the first innings, the first 10 overs of the game they had us on the back-foot with some good tight bowling and they were superb in the field too.

'It's disappointing that we didn't get a full 50-over game but I was pleased with how my young side performed to restrict Nigeria in the 29 overs. Eszrafiq did particularly well bowling in all the right places to take four wickets and deservedly the Man of the Match award.'