Pakistan vs Hong Kong Archives

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.

Bowlers wreak havoc as Pakistan thump Hong Kong to seal Super 4s spot

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

Hong Kong win toss, elect to bowl first against Pakistan in Asia Cup 2022

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

‘Can’t take any team easy in T20’ says Fakhar ahead of Hong Kong clash

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

Asia Cup 2022: Pakistan squad to rest today ahead of Hong Kong clash

DUBAI: Pakistan cricket team has cancelled their final training session for the must-win Group A fixture of Asia Cup 2022 against Hong Kong, scheduled on Friday.

According to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the national contingent has been given rest today. The Green Shirts will lock horns with Hong Kong on Friday in a bid to seal a Super 4s berth.

Earlier, on Wednesday, Pakistan left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman, wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan, and head coach Saqlain Mushtaq did not partake in the scheduled training session.

Whereas, pacers – Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, and Shahnawaz Dahani – enjoyed a rest day on Tuesday before rejoining the squad in Wednesday’s training session.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan pacers Haris and Naseem suffered from cramps during the high-octane clash against the arch-rivals India on Sunday. The men in blue edged past Pakistan by five wickets in a final-over thriller.

READ: Azhar Ali prolongs stay with Worcestershire for county season 2023

Rizwan, Fakhar rest as Pakistan squad trains for Hong Kong clash

DUBAI: Pakistan left-handed batter Fakhar Zaman and wicket-keeper batter Mohammad Rizwan given rest from the national squad’s scheduled training session for their must-win clash against Hong Kong in the ongoing Asia Cup 2022.

According to the details, the Pakistan contingent underwent a training session for their Group A fixture against Hong Kong, at the ICC Cricket Academy Ground.

The national players carried out vigorous fielding drills alongside net sessions for bowling and batting practice.

Three Pakistan pacers – Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, and Shahnawaz Dahani, who were given rest from the Tuesday’s training session have rejoined the squad.

Whereas, the head coach of the national cricket team Saqlain Mushtaq did not supervise the training session as a result of minor pain in his knee. Reports suggest that a ball hit his knee during yesterday’s training session.

It is pertinent to mention here that Pakistan will take on Hong Kong in a must-win game on September 2 in a bid to make their way into the Super 4s of the Asia Cup 2022.

Defending champions India and Afghanistan have already booked their Super 4s spots following a dominant unbeaten show in their respective groups.

READ: Yadav, bowlers star as India thrash Hong Kong to secure Super 4s berth