PAK vs HK Review: Pakistan crush Hong Kong to sail into Super 4
Pakistan dispatched Hong Kong with ridiculous ease in their do-or-die clash of the 2022 Asia Cup, securing their spot for the Super 4 stage, joining India, Afghanistan, and Sri Lanka. The Pakistani batters set up the win for the Men in Green, setting a humungous total of 193 runs on the board, the highest total of the tournament so far.
Babar Azam’s side were put in to bat first by the Hong Kong skipper after winning the toss. Although the skipper was dismissed cheaply for a second consecutive time in the competition, Mohammad Rizwan played an eye-catching inning of 78 runs. The wicket-keeper batter steadied the ship after Babar’s dismissal, stitching a 116-run stand for the second wicket with Fakhar Zaman (53 off 41).
But the star of the show for the Pakistani team was Khushdil Shah, who played a blitz of a knock, hitting 35 off just 15 deliveries, smashing five maximums in his evisceration of the Hong Kong bowlers in the death overs. The Hong Kong bowlers had a feeling of deja vu as they were on the receiving end of a similar assault by Suryakumar Yadav in their previous encounter.
Hong Kong were set a stiff target of 194 runs and Naseem Shah extinguished all hopes of an unlikely chase by dismissing skipper Nizakat Khan and the dangerous Babar Hayat in the third over. Hong Kong never recovered from those early blows as the middle order collapsed like a house of cards, succumbing to a record low of 38.
Top Performers of the game
Shadab Khan
The young Pakistani all-rounder ran riot with the ball, scalping four wickets, conceding just eight runs in 16 deliveries. The leggie was economical in the clash against arch-rivals India and backed that performance with another scintillating bowling display.
Mohammad Rizwan
While Khushdil Shah stole the limelight with his unbelievable power-hitting during the first innings, it was the veteran wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan who steadied the ship for the Men in Green in the middle overs and kept the scoreboard ticking with timely boundaries. His unbeaten knock of 78 off 57 laid the foundation for the Pakistani team in the all-important clash.
What next for the two teams?
The massive victory by Pakistan seals their place in the Super 4, where they will face arch-rival India on Sunday. Meanwhile, Hong Kong bowed out of the tournament after a humiliating defeat.
