Asia Cup 2022: Pakistan rout Hong Kong to qualify for Super 4s

SHARJAH: A masterclass from Pakistan on a slow-turning wicket helped them rout Hong Kong to secure a place in the Super Four stage of the Asia Cup 2022.

Pakistan had set a 194-run target for Hong Kong in a must-win game for both teams to stay in the tournament.

However, a bowling masterclass from Pakistan ensured that Hong Kong were dismissed for a meagre 38 runs, ensuring a win for the Men in Green by 155 runs. This is the lowest total made by any team against a full member side.

Naseem Shah’s double-wicket in the third over of Hong Kong’s innings helped set the tone. After that, the wickets fell like a ten-pin.

The bowlers kept on exerting pressure by giving little space to Hong Kong to score, while regular wickets added more pressure. It was in the 11th over that Shahab Khan took the last wicket to end Hong Kong’s misery.

For Pakistan, Shadab ended with four wickets, Mohammad Nawaz took three, while Shahnawaz Dahani took one wicket.

Pakistan’s innings

Pakistan were off to a slow start after losing skipper Babar Azam in the third over and with 13 runs on the board.

However, Mohammad Rizwan and Fakhar Zaman built a 116-run partnership to set the stage for Khushdil Shah’s fireworks in the last three overs.

Zaman contributed 53 off 41 balls before being dismissed on the first ball of the 17th over.

But the partnership had built a strong foundation for Khushdil Shah to exploit the Hong Kong bowlers. Khushdil’s cameo of 35 off 15 balls propelled Pakistan to 193/2.

Mohammad Rizwan carried the bat till the end of the innings and remained unbeaten on 78.

For Hong Kong, off-spinner Ehsan Khan was the only bowler who took wickets by dismissing Babar and Zaman in his four overs at the cost of 28 runs.

Playing XI

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

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

Live updates of the match will appear below:

Hong Kong won the toss and asked Pakistan to bat first.

Pakistan win!

Hong Kong all out for 38

Shadab Khan to Mohammad Ghazanfar: OUT!

Shadab Khan to Mohammad Ghazanfar: No run

Shadab Khan to Mohammad Ghazanfar: No run 

Shadab Khan to Ayush Shukla: OUT! 

Hong Kong after 10 overs: 38/8

Ayush Shukla 1/Ehsan Khan 0

Mohammad Nawaz to Ehsan Khan: No run

Mohammad Nawaz to Ayush Shukla: 1 run

Mohammad Nawaz to Ayush Shukla: No run

Mohammad Nawaz to Ayush Shukla: No run

Mohammad Nawaz to Ayush Shukla: No run

Mohammad Nawaz to Ayush Shukla: WIDE!

Mohammad Nawaz to Zeeshan Ali: OUT! 

Hong Kong after 9 overs: 36/7

Zeeshan Ali 3/Ehsan Khan 0

Shadab Khan to Haroon Arshad: OUT!

Shadab Khan to Zeeshan Ali: 1 run

Shadab Khan to Zeeshan Ali: No run

Shadab Khan to Haroon Arshad: 1 run

Shadab Khan to Zeeshan Ali: 1 run

Shadab Khan to Haroon Arshad: 1 run

Hong Kong after 8 overs: 32/6

Zeeshan Ali 1/ Haroon Arshad 1

Mohammad Nawaz to Haroon Arshad: 1 run

Mohammad Nawaz to Scott McKechnie: OUT!

Mohammad Nawaz to Zeeshan Ali: 1 run

Mohammad Nawaz to Kinchit Shah: OUT!

Mohammad Nawaz to Kinchit Shah: No run

Mohammad Nawaz to Scott McKechnie: 1 run

Hong Kong after 7 overs: 29/4

Kinchit Shah 6/ Scott Mckechnie 3

Shadab Khan to Scott McKechnie: 1 run

Shadab Khan to Scott McKechnie: No run

Shadab Khan to Scott McKechnie: 2 runs

Shadab Khan to Scott McKechnie: WIDE!

Shadab Khan to Aizaz Khan: OUT!

Shadab Khan to Aizaz Khan: No run

Hong Kong after 6 overs: 25/3

Kinchit Shah 6/ Aizaz Khan 1

Haris Rauf to Aizaz Khan: 1 run

Haris Rauf to Aizaz Khan: No run

Haris Rauf to Aizaz Khan: No run

Haris Rauf to Kinchit Shah: 1 run

Haris Rauf to Kinchit Shah: 4 runs!

Haris Rauf to Kinchit Shah: No run

Hong Kong after 5 overs: 19/3

Kinchit Shah 1/ Aizaz Khan 0

Shahnawaz Dhani to Aizaz Khan: No run

Shahnawaz Dhani to Yasim Murtaza: OUT!

Shahnawaz Dhani to Yasim Murtaza: No run

Shahnawaz Dhani to Yasim Murtaza: No run

Shahnawaz Dhani to Yasim Murtaza: No run

Shahnawaz Dhani to Yasim Murtaza: No run

Hong Kong after 4 overs: 19/2

Kinchit Shah 1/Yasim Murtaza 2

Iftikhar Ahmed to Kinchit Shah: No run

Iftikhar Ahmed to Kinchit Shah: No run

Iftikhar Ahmed to Kinchit Shah: No run

Iftikhar Ahmed to Yasim Murtaza: 1 run

Iftikhar Ahmed to Kinchit Shah: 1 run

Iftikhar Ahmed to Yasim Murtaza: 1 run

Hong Kong after 3 overs: 16/2

Kinchit Shah 0/Yasim Murtaza 0

Naseem Shah to Kinchit Shah: No run

Naseem Shah to Babar Hayat: OUT!

Naseem Shah to Babar Hayat: No run

Naseem Shah to Babar Hayat:  No run

Naseem Shah to Nizakat Khan: OUT!

Naseem Shah to Nizakat Khan: WIDE!

Hong Kong after 2 overs: 15/0

Nizakat Khan 8 runs/Yasim Murtaza 0

Shahnawaz Dhani to Nizakat Khan: 1 run

Shahnawaz Dhani to Nizakat Khan: 2 leg byes

Shahnawaz Dhani to Nizakat Khan: No run 

Shahnawaz Dhani to Nizakat Khan: 2 run

Shahnawaz Dhani to Nizakat Khan: 4 runs!

Shahnawaz Dhani to Nizakat Khan: No run

Hong Kong after 1 over: 6

Nizakat Khan 6 runs/Yasim Murtaza 0

Naseem Shah to Nizakat Khan: 1 run

Naseem Shah to Nizakat Khan: No run

Naseem Shah to Nizakat Khan: No run

Naseem Shah to Nizakat Khan: No run

Naseem Shah to Nizakat Khan: No run

Naseem Shah to Nizakat Khan: WIDE + four runs!

Hong Kong begin batting

Pakistan after 20 overs: 193/2

Mohammad Rizwan 78/ Khushdil Shah 35

Aizaz Khan to Khushdil Shah: 6 runs!

Aizaz Khan to Khushdil Shah: 6 runs!

Aizaz Khan to Khushdil Shah: 6 runs!

Aizaz Khan to Khushdil Shah: WIDE + four runs

Aizaz Khan to Khushdil Shah: 6 runs!

Aizaz Khan to Khushdil Shah: No run

Aizaz Khan to Khushdil Shah: No run

Pakistan after 19 overs: 164/2

Mohammad Rizwan 78/ Khushdil Shah 11

Ehsan Khan to Mohammad Rizwan: 2 runs

Ehsan Khan to Mohammad Rizwan: 2 runs

Ehsan Khan to Khushdil Shah: 1 run

Ehsan Khan to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Ehsan Khan to Khushdil Shah: 1 run

Ehsan Khan to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Pakistan after 18 overs: 156/2

Mohammad Rizwan 72/ Khushdil Shah 9

Ayush Shukla to Khushdil Shah: No run

Ayush Shukla to Khushdil Shah: WIDE! + four runs

Ayush Shukla to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Ayush Shukla to Mohammad Rizwan: 2 runs

Ayush Shukla to Khushdil Shah: 1 run

Ayush Shukla to Khushdil Shah: WIDE

Ayush Shukla to Khushdil Shah: No run

Ayush Shukla to Khushdil Shah: 6 runs

Ayush Shukla to Khushdil Shah: WIDE!

Ayush Shukla to Khushdil Shah: WIDE!

Pakistan after 17 overs: 138/2

Mohammad Rizwan 69/ Khushdil Shah 2

Ehsan Khan to Khushdil Shah: 1 run

Ehsan Khan to Mohammad Rizwan: 3 runs

Ehsan Khan to Mohammad Rizwan: 4 runs!

Ehsan Khan to Khushdil Shah: 1 run

Ehsan Khan to Khushdil Shah: No run

Ehsan Khan to Fakhar Zaman: OUT!

Pakistan after 16 overs: 129/1

Mohammad Rizwan 62/ Fakhar Zaman 53

Yasim Murtaza to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Yasim Murtaza to Fakhar Zaman: No run

Yasim Murtaza to Fakhar Zaman: 6 runs

Yasim Murtaza to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Yasim Murtaza to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Yasim Murtaza to Fakhar Zaman: 4 runs

Pakistan after 15 overs: 116/1

Mohammad Rizwan 61/ Fakhar Zaman 41

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Fakhar Zaman: 6 runs!

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Mohammad Rizwan: 2 runs

Pakistan after 14 overs: 104/1

Mohammad Rizwan 57/ Fakhar Zaman 33

Yasim Murtaza to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Yasim Murtaza to Mohammad Rizwan: 2 runs

Yasim Murtaza to Mohammad Rizwan: 4 runs!

Yasim Murtaza to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Yasim Murtaza to Fakhar Zaman: 2 runs

Yasim Murtaza to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Pakistan after 13 overs: 93/1

Mohammad Rizwan 49/ Fakhar Zaman 30

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 runs

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Mohammad Rizwan: 4 runs!

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Mohammad Rizwan: 2 runs

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Pakistan after 12 overs: 83/1

Mohammad Rizwan 41/ Fakhar Zaman 28

Aizaz Khan to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Aizaz Khan to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Aizaz Khan to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Aizaz Khan to Mohammad Rizwan: WIDE! + 1 run

Aizaz Khan to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Aizaz Khan to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Aizaz Khan to Mohammad Rizwan: No run

Pakistan after 11 overs: 76/1

Mohammad Rizwan 39/ Fakhar Zaman 25

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Mohammad Rizwan: 6 runs!

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Fakhar Zaman: 2 runs

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Pakistan after 10 overs: 64/1

Mohammad Rizwan 31/ Fakhar Zaman 21

Yasim Murtaza to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Yasim Murtaza to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Yasim Murtaza to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Yasim Murtaza to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Yasim Murtaza to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Yasim Murtaza to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Pakistan after 9 overs: 58/1

Mohammad Rizwan 28/ Fakhar Zaman 18

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Fakhar Zaman: No run (LBW decision reversed)

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Mohammad Rizwan: No run

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Mohammad Rizwan: 2 runs

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Mohammad Ghazanfar to Fakhar Zaman: No run

Pakistan after 8 overs: 54/1

Mohammad Rizwan 25/ Fakhar Zaman 17

Yasim Murtaza to Mohammad Rizwan: No run

Yasim Murtaza to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Yasim Murtaza to Fakhar Zaman: No run

Yasim Murtaza to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Yasim Murtaza to Mohammad Rizwan: 4 runs!

Yasim Murtaza to Mohammad Rizwan: No run

Pakistan after 7 overs: 48/1

Mohammad Rizwan 20/ Fakhar Zaman 16

Aizaz Khan to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Aizaz Khan to Mohammad Rizwan: 2 runs

Aizaz Khan to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Aizaz Khan to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Aizaz Khan to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Aizaz Khan to Fakhar Zaman: WIDE!

Aizaz Khan to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Pakistan after 6 overs: 40/1

Mohammad Rizwan 15/ Fakhar Zaman 14

Ehsan Khan to Fakhar Zaman: No run

Ehsan Khan to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Ehsan Khan to Mohammad Rizwan: No run

Ehsan Khan to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Ehsan Khan to Fakhar Zaman: 2 runs

Ehsan Khan to Fakhar Zaman: No run

Pakistan after 5 overs: 36/1

Mohammad Rizwan 14/ Fakhar Zaman 11

Ayush Shukla to Mohammad Rizwan: 4 runs!

Ayush Shukla to Mohammad Rizwan: No run

Ayush Shukla to Mohammad Rizwan: 4 runs!

Ayush Shukla to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Ayush Shukla to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Ayush Shukla to Mohammad Rizwan: No run

Pakistan after 4 overs: 26/1

Mohammad Rizwan 5/ Fakhar Zaman 10

Haroon Arshad to Fakhar Zaman: 4 runs!

Haroon Arshad to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Haroon Arshad to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Haroon Arshad to Fakhar Zaman: No run

Haroon Arshad to Fakhar Zaman: NO BALL!

Haroon Arshad to Fakhar Zaman: WIDE!

Haroon Arshad to Fakhar Zaman: WIDE!

Haroon Arshad to Fakhar Zaman: 4 runs!

Haroon Arshad to Fakhar Zaman: No run

Pakistan after 3 overs: 14/1

Mohammad Rizwan 4/ Fakhar Zaman 1 

Ehsan Khan to Fakhar Zaman: 1 run

Ehsan Khan to Babar Azam: OUT!

Ehsan Khan to Babar Azam: 4 runs!

Ehsan Khan to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Ehsan Khan to Mohammad Rizwan: No run

Ehsan Khan to Babar Azam: 1 run

Pakistan after 2 overs: 7/0

Mohammad Rizwan 3/ Babar Azam 4 

Ayush Shukla to Babar Azam: 1 run

Ayush Shukla to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Ayush Shukla to Mohammad Rizwan: No run

Ayush Shukla to Babar Azam: 1 run

Ayush Shukla to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Ayush Shukla to Babar Azam: 1 run

Pakistan after 1 over: 2/0

Mohammad Rizwan 1/ Babar Azam 1

Haroon Arshad to Babar Azam: 1 run

Haroon Arshad to Babar Azam: No run

Haroon Arshad to Mohammad Rizwan: 1 run

Haroon Arshad to Mohammad Rizwan: No run

Haroon Arshad to Mohammad Rizwan: No run

Haroon Arshad to Mohammad Rizwan: No run