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Agencies
Colombo
Qatar clinched the last available place in Saturday's promotion play-offs at the Davis Cup by BNP Pairbas Asia/Oceania Zone Group III event in Colombo, after pipping Malaysia to second place in Pool B on Friday.
The Qataris' hopes of competing for promotion had suffered a blow on Thursday when they lost to group winners Lebanon, but the team hit back on Friday with victory in both singles rubbers against Malaysia.
Jabor al Mutawa battled hard for a 76(7) 16 64 triumph over Hao Sheng Koay in a two-hour-43-minute opening rubber, before Malaysia's hopes of a comeback were dealt a cruel end when Mohd Assri Merzuki was forced to retire just five games into the second rubber against Mubarak Shannan.
Malaysia had to settle for third place in the group, with Qatar set to take on hosts and Pool A winners Sri Lanka for the right to compete in Asia/Oceania Zone Group II in 2018.
Pool B winners Lebanon will play Pool A runners-up Jordan in the other promotion play-off on Saturday.
In Friday's other encounter, UAE and Turkmenistan have gone to a decisive doubles rubber in a bid to avoid finishing bottom of Pool A after Turkmenistan's Isa Mammetgulyyev cancelled out Omar Alawadhi's earlier singles victory for UAE.
The winner of their tie will play Syria, who finished bottom of Pool A, in the relegation play-offs on Saturday, while the loser will face 3rd-placed Pool A finishers Pacific Oceania.
