Tag: Asia Cup

SHARJAH: Batters played a crucial role in Sri Lanka’s magnificent chase of a 176-run target to avenge their defeat in the group stage of the Asia Cup as they secured a thrilling four-wicket win over Afghanistan in the opening match of the Super 4 stage.

After a solid start by the openers Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis, Danushka Gunathilaka played a superb knock of 33 off 20 in the middle, before Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Wanindu Hasaranga pounded Afghanistan bowlers in the death overs to help Sri Lanka chase down the target with five balls to spare.

Mendis top-scored for his side with 36 off 19, while Nissanka also scored 36 off 28 to give the hosts a flourishing start to their chase. Meanwhile, Rajapaksa hit a powerful 31 off 14, laced with four boundaries and a six to release the pressure in the crucial stage of the game.

For Afghanistan, Mujeeb ur Rehman and Naveen-ul-Haq claimed two wickets each with Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi making a scalp apiece.

Earlier, Rehmanullah Gurbaz blasted a phenomenal 84 off 45, smashing six gigantic sixes and four boundaries as Aghanistan raised 175/6 after they were put to bat.

Ibrahim Zadran failed to capitalize on his stay on the crease as he was sent back to the pavilion by Dilshan Madushanka after a steady knock of 40 off 38.

For Sri Lanka, Madhushanka picked two wickets while Maheesh Theekshana and Asitha Fernando took a scalp each.

READ: Ravindra Jadeja to miss T20 World Cup as well: Indian media

DUBAI: Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf heaped praise on the new entrant of the T20I team and young sensation, Naseem Shah, for his lightning-fast speed and the heroics that he played in the first two games of the Asia Cup 2022.

Pakistan are set to face the arch-rivals India for the second time in the ongoing Asia Cup on Sunday after the Green Shirts step into the Super Fours stage of the tournament with a thumping win by 155 runs against Hong Kong on Friday.

However, the team faced a major blow on Saturday when the right-arm pacer Shahnawaz Dahani was ruled out of the team due to a side strain injury.

Haris, on the other hand, looked confident to turn the tables this time as he believed that the team got a major boost after the resounding win in the last match.

“We kept it tight in the first match against India and got a thumping win against Hong Kong. We will try to keep this momentum in the Super 4 stage of the tournament,” he said as quoted by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

“India-Pakistan games are always high-intensity matches and we are confident to produce a competitive clash on Sunday. It was a nail-biter last Sunday, which went into the last over but 4 September will be a new date and we are hopeful to cross the line this time in Dubai.” he added.

Furthermore, Haris hailed the 19-year-old Naseem for his fierce pace and keeping the batters under pressure which he believed proved beneficial for other bowlers of the team.

“I am really happy with the performance of my bowling line-up,” he said.

“Bowling partnerships are very important in this format of the game and I am really enjoying bowling with the young sensation Naseem Shah. Because of his searing pace, he keeps the opponents on the back foot, which gives an edge to the other bowlers.”

READ: Dahani ruled out of high-voltage clash against India after injury

DUBAI: In yet another blow for the national team in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022, right-arm pacer Shahnawaz Dahani has been ruled out of tomorrow’s high-voltage clash against arch-rival India. 

According to the sources, Dahani has suffered a side strain injury and will not be part of the team’s playing lineup in the first encounter of the Super 4s stage of the Asia Cup.

Moreover, his participation in the remaining matches of the tournament will be decided by team management once the MRI scans results reveals the true extent of his injury.

The team’s medical team will monitor his condition for the next 48 to 72 hours before taking any decision.

Dahani was part of the team’s playing XI  in the earlier clash against India and Hong Kong.

Earlier, seamer Mohammad Wasim Junior had also been ruled out of the tournament due to injury before the national team started its Asia Cup campaign. Whereas, team’s main strike bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi is currently undergoing rehabilitation in London after he was ruled out of the squad due to a knee injury.

Meanwhile, fast bowlers Hasan Ali and Mohammad Hasain are also part of the team’s squad but remained on the bench so far. One of the two bowlers is likely to get an opportunity in the next match against India.

READ: Starc breaks Saqlain Mushtaq’s 23-year-old record

SHARJAH: Pakistan wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan made a major assertion that none of the current Pakistan pacers can make up for the absence of the ace pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi.

Following his anchoring and unbeaten 78-run knock against Hong Kong, Rizwan spoke with the media. In response to a question on Shaheen’s absence from the upcoming Asia Cup 2022, he remarked that no bowler could replace the ace pacer.

“None of these bowlers can make up for Shaheen’s absence but anyone can become Shaheen on a given day,” said Rizwan.

The player of the match for Pakistan in a must-win clash against Hong Kong – Rizwan also opined regarding the early stages of the game and acknowledged that the batters were finding it hard to get going initially.

“It was difficult in the beginning, but after getting the hang of it, we did quite well,” Rizwan stated.

The right-handed batsman, who led the way for Pakistan in their most recent match against India on Sunday, continued by comparing every game versus India to a final match as he discussed the Green Shirts’ upcoming tense encounter with their bitter rivals on September 4.

“Every match against India is very challenging like a final. It is a pressure game and it is on Indian players as well,” he concluded.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan thrashed Hong Kong by a massive margin of 155 runs and qualified for the Super Fours of the ongoing Asia Cup 2022.

The Green Shirts will now take on their arch-rivals India in an anticipated clash on September 4.

READ: Pakistan thrash Hong Kong by 155 runs to book Super 4s spot in Asia Cup 

SHARJAH: Pakistan bowlers wreaked havoc over the Hong Kong batting line-up and bundled out the side for a skimpy 38 to hand their side a massive 155-run victory to qualify for the Super Fours of the ongoing Asia Cup 2022.

Set to chase a massive 194, Hong Kong batting line-up failed completely and managed to amass a paltry 38 runs, thus handing a dominating 155-run victory to the Green Shirts.

In a second inning, massively dominated by the Pakistan bowlers, no Hong Kong batter could manage to get into double figures with their captain Nizakat Khan being the top-scorer with eight runs, while Kinchit Shah could score six.

Pakistan pacers – Naseem Shah and Shahnawaz Dahani initiated the carnage as the duo reduced Hong Kong to 25/3 after the first powerplay.

Whereas, spinners – Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz – then further added to the misery of the Hong Kong side and shared the remaining seven wickets and leaked only 13 runs to bundle out the associate side for a mere score of 38.

Shadab led the bowling carnage for Pakistan with four wickets for eight runs, while Nawaz returned with astounding figures of 3-5. Naseem bagged two wickets, whereas Dahani made one scalp.

Pakistan, after being put into bat first by Hong Kong, were off to a dismal start as the side lost their top batter and captain Babar Azam for a mere combined score of 13 in the third over. The top-ranked T20I batter could only score nine off eight deliveries.

Following the early slump, wicketkeeper batter Rizwan and left-hander Fakhar anchored the proceedings for the Green Shirts with a valiant 116-run partnership for the second wicket.

The duo appeared solid with both having amassed their half-centuries then looked to race up the inning. Fakhar, however, fell short in the 17th over after hitting a maximum and a boundary in the 16th to bring up his half-century.

The left-handed batter scored a brilliant 53 off 41 deliveries, laced with three boundaries and two sixes.

Following his departure, Khushdil joined Rizwan at the crease and batted sensibly till the final over as Pakistan got to 164/2 in 19 overs.

The left-handed batter then smashed four sixes to Aizaz Khan, who was bowling the penultimate over for Hong Kong and bolstered Pakistan’s score to 193/2 in the allotted 20 overs.

Rizwan top-scored for the side with a sensible unbeaten 78 off 57 deliveries, laced with six boundaries and a six, while Khushdil scored a quickfire unbeaten knock of 35 runs off a mere 15 balls with the help of five sixes.

Ehsan Khan was the pick of the bowlers for Hong Kong, who remained the only bowler to open his account as he claimed two wickets for 28 in his quota of four overs.

Pakistan bowlers decimated the Hong Kong batting line-up for a paltry 38 before batters displayed combined effort as the Green Shirts outclassed Hong Kong by a massive margin of 155 runs and secured Super Fours berth in Asia Cup 2022.

HKG 38 (10.4 Overs)

10.4: There wasn’t much of a turn there, as he got his front leg out of the way to try and tried to poke at it but missed. Replays show there is an umpire’s call on impact, and also the umpire’s call on clipping the off stump. Hong Kong cleaned up for 38.

10.1: This was tossed up, and was a wrong ‘un. It spent a good few seconds wobbling in, and pitched full outside off, before turning in to strike off stump as Shukla missed his slog.

Shadab comes again

HKG 38-8 (10 Overs)

9.1: Steps out of the crease looking to hit a six, but is not quite to the pitch of it, and the turn away means he doesn’t get enough into the shot. Caught at long-on.

Nawaz comes again

HKG 36-7 (9 Overs)

8.6: Haroon looks to go down for a sweep, sees the length is not quite there, then tries to just guide it behind square on the leg side, and gets too far inside the line. The wrong’un does the rest.

Shadab continues

HKG 32-6 (8 Overs)

7.5: Bowled between the legs, premeditates a sweep and this is really full. The ball squeezes between his legs to knock the stumps over.

7.3: Nawaz is bowling from round the wicket and bowls it full. Shah is beaten on the slog sweep and hit on the pad.

Nawaz replaces Rauf

HKG 29-4 (7 Overs)

6.2: Goes back to look to late-cut this length ball, but it pitches on off and turns back in. Too full to cut anyway, and then the turn in does him completely.

Shadab comes into the attack

HKG 25-3 (6 Overs)

Haris Rauf comes into the attack

HKG 19/3 (5 Overs)

4.5: Dahani gets it head high, and Murtaza manages just a soft top edge. Khushdil charges in from mid-on and dives to take the low catch.

Dahani replaces Naseem

HKG 19-2 (4 Overs)

Iftikhar Ahmed replaces Dahani

HKG 16-2 (3 Overs)

2.5: No foot movement. Deep in the crease and heaves at this length ball. It nips back in a little and kisses the top of off.

2.1: Looks to drive this over square again, but this time he gets just the toe end. Looks like it has arrived before he is through the shot.

Naseem continues

HKG 15-0 (2 Overs)

Shahnawaz Dahani to bowl from the other end

HKG 6-0 (1 Over)

Nizakat Khan and Yasim Murtaza come out to bat for Hong Kong in the run chase. Naseem Shah to bowl the first over.

PAKISTAN vs HONG KONG (2nd INNING)

Khushdil Shah’s late onslaught in the final over bolstered Pakistan to finish at a massive 193/2 in the allotted 20 overs after the important half-centuries from Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman.

PAK 193-2 (20 Overs)

Aizaz to bowl the final over

PAK 164-2 (19 Overs)

Ehsan comes to bowl his last

PAK 156-2 (18 Overs)

Shukla comes back into the attack

PAK 138-2 (17 Overs)

16.1: Slices this to the man placed at the edge of the circle. The ball was a lowish full toss which was angling into him from the angle from around the wicket, as it was also tossed up. Fakhar made room early, and also skipped down. Ended up finding the fielder since he had to play at it once he was down the pitch.

Ehsan comes back into the attack

PAK 129-1 (16 Overs)

Yasim continues

PAK 116-1 (15 Overs)

Ghazanfar continues

PAK 104-1 (14 Overs)

Yasim replaces Aizaz

PAK 93-1 (13 Overs)

Ghazanfar comes again

PAK 83-1 (12 Overs)

Aizaz replaces Yasim

PAK 76-1 (11 Overs)

Ghazanfar continues

PAK 64-1 (10 Overs)

Yasim continues

PAK 58-1 (9 Overs)

Mohammad Ghazanfar comes into the attack

PAK 54-1 (8 Overs)

Yasim Murtaza comes into the attack

PAK 48-1 (7 Overs)

Aizaz Khan comes into the attack

PAK 40-1 (6 Overs)

Ehsan replaces Haroon

PAK 36-1 (5 Overs)

Shukla comes back

PAK 26-1 (4 Overs)

Haroon comes back

PAK 14-1 (3 Overs)

2.5: Slower in the air, Babar goes down the ground but fails to keep it down. Offers a return catch while looking for a single. Ehsan takes a good low catch to his right even as the ball swerves away.

Ehsan Khan replaces Haroon

PAK 7-0 (2 Overs)

Ayush Shukla comes to bowl from the other end

PAK 3-0 (1 Over)

Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan come out to bat for Pakistan. Haroon Arshad to bowl the first over.

PAKISTAN vs HONG KONG (1st INNING)

SHARJAH: Hong Kong won the toss and opted to field first against Pakistan in a must-win group fixture of the ongoing Asia Cup 2022.

PLAYING XIs

Pakistan: Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Asif Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Shadab Khan, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Shahnawaz Dahani

Hong Kong: Nizakat Khan (c), Babar Hayat, Yasim Murtaza, Kinchit Shah, Scott McKechnie (wk), Haroon Arshad, Aizaz Khan, Zeeshan Ali, Ehsan Khan, Ayush Shukla, Mohammad Ghazanfar

SHARJAH: Hong Kong have won the toss and opted to field first against Pakistan in a must-win group fixture of the ongoing Asia Cup 2022.

PLAYING XIs

Pakistan: Babar Azam (capt), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Shahnawaz Dahani

Hong Kong: Nizakat Khan (capt), Babar Hayat, Yasim Murtaza, Kinchit Shah, Scott McKechnie (wk), Haroon Arshad, Aizaz Khan, Zeeshan Ali, Ehsan Khan, Ayush Shukla, Mohammad Ghazanfar

HEAD TO HEAD

Asia Cup: Matches-3, Pakistan-3, Hong Kong-0

DUBAI: Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been ruled out of the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 due to a knee injury, his counterpart Axar Patel is named as his replacement.

Jadeja, who played a crucial knock in India’s successful run chase against Pakistan in the high-octane clash of the ongoing Asia Cup 2022, has now been ruled out of the continental event due to an injury.

“Ravindra Jadeja has sustained a right knee injury and is ruled out of the tournament,” the BCCI said in its statement.

Patel, on the other hand, who has been named as Jadeja’s replacement, was previously named as one of the standbys in the squad and will join the team in Dubai soon.

It is pertinent to mention here that the defending champions India have already booked their place in the Super Fours of the Asia Cup 2022 by defeating Pakistan and Hong Kong in group matches.

READ: Masood stars with fifty to help Balochistan beat Sindh in National T20 Cup

SHARJAH: Pakistan are set to lock horns with the lesser-ranked Hong Kong today in a crucial do-or-die encounter of Asia Cup 2022. Both teams will play their first game against each other in the shortest format. The winning team will join India, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka in the Super 4s stage of the tournament while the other team gets eliminated. 

Left-handed batter Fakhar dismissed the impression of taking the opponents lightly as he stated that Hong Kong had been performing well since the qualifiers.

“You cannot take any opposition easy in the T20 format and Hong Kong Hong Kong has played good cricket in the qualifiers so we will try to stick to our plans,” he said in a video shared by Pakistan Cricket Board on its official Twitter account.

🗣️ Fakhar Zaman talks about the morale of the team and preparations ahead of tomorrow's game

📒 https://t.co/CUkkGbl59a#AsiaCup2022 | #PAKvHK pic.twitter.com/PpOc2lumJ2

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 1, 2022

 

“T20 is a short format which provides an equal opportunity for both teams to showcase their strengths. We will ensure to minimise our errors and put up a good show as we are aiming for the Super 4s” he added.

Commenting on players’ fitness Fakhar believed that injuries and cramps were part of the game and the team’s medical team had been doing a great job with the players. Pakistani pacers Naseem and Haris Rauf were seen struggling with cramps during the last match against the arch-rivals India.

“Cramps and injuries are part of the game, however, what matters is the way you deal and recover from those injuries. I hope our players will be fully fit before the next game” he said.

Talking about the team’s morale after the narrow defeat in the nail-biting game against India last Sunday, the 32-year-old stated that the close encounter helped the team in raising the confidence level of the players.

“It was a tight game against India, the morale is high in the camp and all our players are confident of doing better in the upcoming game,” he said.

READ: Emotional Bangladesh need more head than heart, says skipper Shakib

DUBAI: Skipper Shakib Al Hasan warned Bangladesh that they must keep their emotions in check after rivals Sri Lanka dumped them out of the Asia Cup cricket following a bitter war of words.

Sri Lanka won a do-or-die match in Dubai by two wickets and with four balls to spare on Thursday to move into the Super Four stage of the tournament, a prelude to the T20 World Cup.

Before the clash the two sides exchanged verbal volleys in media conferences with Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka saying Bangladesh lacked a world-class bowler other than Mustafizur Rahman and Shakib.

Bangladesh team director Khaled Mahmud hit back, saying: “I don’t see any (world-class) bowler in Sri Lanka as well… we have at least two.”

The battle of words moved to social media with former Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene tweeting: “Looks like it’s time for (our) bowlers to show the class and batters to show who they are on the field.”

Shakib denied after the defeat that ended their Asia Cup hopes that the off-field chatter had affected them, but admitted his Bangladesh team needed to play more with their heads.

“We are very emotional. That is the other area we need to improve,” Shakib said, with the World Cup in Australia on the horizon in October-November.

“Keep our emotions on the side and play the way we need to play. More looking to give our head in the game than our heart in the game.”

Sri Lanka batsman Bhanuka Rajapaksa offered an olive branch to the Bangladesh players and said Shanaka’s words were misconstrued.

“The statement that the captain made, I don’t think he meant any wrong,” Rajapaksa told reporters.

“Of course, when you compare the (dangerous) Afghanistan bowlers, what we meant was we had a slight advantage facing the Bangladeshi bowlers.”

Rajapaksa added: “Like India-Pakistan, Sri Lanka-Bangladesh is also a good rivalry, but we are friends off the field.

“Some words could hurt the players and hurt the staff. But what the captain meant was not what went through the media.”

After a tempestuous build-up, Bangladesh posted 183-7, a total their bowlers failed to defend.

The Sri Lankan lower-order needed to get 25 runs from the final two overs and gained from the extra runs which came through wides and no-balls by the opposition bowlers.

Both Sri Lanka and Bangladesh lost their opening matches to Afghanistan, who sailed into the Super Four from the group.

Rajapaksa said his team went into hiding after their eight-wicket hammering to Afghanistan — the team they face once more in the next round on Saturday.

“It was quite shameful for us, the 11 who played this game, and we were not expecting to be bowled out for 105,” said Rajapaksa.

“Of course, Afghanistan is a pretty decent side when it comes to T20s but after the loss we went into a small shell for a couple of days, but we knew how to overcome that situation.”

The hard-hitting left-hander said Sri Lanka are relishing having another crack at Afghanistan, who have emerged as genuine title contenders.

“What we planned was to beat Bangladesh by hook or by crook,” he said.

“We managed to win and the motivation that the players have is immense, so going forward into Super Fours it will be quite interesting.”

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