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.
