Asia Cup: Pakistan crush Hong Kong by 8 wickets

Dubai: Hong Kong won the toss and elected to bat against Pakistan in the second match of the on-going 14th edition of the Unimoni Asia Cup being played at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Catch all the action as it happened here from our Cheif Cricket Writer K.R. Nayar:

Pakistan beat Hong Kong by 8 wickets in the 24th over, reaching 120 for 2. Imam-ul-Haq completed his 50 too in this over.

■ Read the full match report here: Pakistan beat Hong Kong by 8 wickets

Hong Kong
Nizakat Khan run out  13
A. Rath c Sarfraz b Ashraf  19
Babar Hayat st Sarfraz b Shadab 7
C. Carter c Imam b Hasan  2
K. Shah c Shadab b Hasan  26
Ehsan Khan lbw b Shadab  0
Aizaz Khan b Shinwari  27
S. McKechnie lbw b Shinwari  0
Tanvir Afzal b Shinwari  0
Ehsan Nawaz run out   9
Nadeem Ahmed not out   9
Extras: (w4)   4
Total: all out; 37 overs  116

Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Nizakat), 2-32 (Rath), 3-39 (Carter), 4-44 (Hayat), 5-44 (Ehsan), 6-97 (Aizaz), 7-97 (McKechnie), 8-97 (Afzal), 9-99 (Shah)
 
Bowling: Amir 7-1-20-0, Shinwari 7.3-19-3 (w1), Ashraf 4-0-10-1 (w1), Hasan 7-0-19-2, Shadab 8-1-31-2 (w1), Malik 3-0-17-0, Fakhar 0.3-0-0-0
 
Pakistan
Fakhar Zaman c McKechnie b Ehsan 24
Imam-ul-Haq not out   50
Babar Azam c McKechnie b Ehsan 33
Shoaib Malik not out   9
Extras: (nb1, w3)   4
Total: (for two wkts, 23.4 overs) 120

Did not bat: Sarfraz Ahmed, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Usman Shinwari

Fall of wickets: 1-41 (Zaman), 2-93 (Azam)

Bowling: Afzal 4-2-13-0 (1w), Nawaz 4-0-27-0 (1w), Aizaz 3.4-0-19-0, Ehsna 8-0-34-2 (1w), Nadeem 4-0-27-0

Result: Pakistan won by eight wickets
Man of the Match: Usman Khan Shinwari 
Toss: Hong Kong
Umpires: Rod Tucker (AUS) and Ahmad Pakteen (AFG)
Match referee: Andy Pycroft (ZIM)

Imam-Ul-Haq (left) is ongratulated by Shoaib Malik after completing his half century. Virendra Saklani/Gulf News

When Pakistan needed 24 more runs to win, Babar Azam edged Ehsan Khan to wicketkeeper for 33 runs. Pakistan is 95 for 2 at the end of 21st over.

Pakistan reach 91 for 1 at the end of 19th over. The partnership between Imam-ul-Haq and Babar Azam made 50 runs in 10.5 overs.

Milestone: Babar Azam goes past the 2000 runs mark in ODIs in his 46th innings to make him second-fastest batsman to reach that mark.

Babar Azam of Pakistan plays a shot. Virendra Saklani/Gulf News

Hong Kong dismissed Pakistan's star batsman Fakhar Zaman when Eshan Khan had him caught behind. Zaman and Imam Ul Haq put on 41 runs in 8.1 overs. Pakistan reach 45 for 1 at the end of 9th over.

Dinner break: Pakistan reach 35 for no loss in 7 overs.

Watch:Half-time review live with K. R. Nayar.

Pakistan's chase begins, they reach 19 for no loss in 5 overs.

Hong Kong's innings end at the 38th over as Ehsan Nawaz was run out for 9. Pakistan's mixed pace/spin attack was too hot to handle for an inexperienced Hong Kong team as they were bundled out for a paltry 116. 

Pakistani fans cheer their team during the match against Hong Kong at Dubai International Cricket Stadium. Virendra Saklani/Gulf News

Hong Kong's innings

Nizakat Khan run out  13
A. Rath c Sarfraz b Ashraf  19
Babar Hayat st Sarfraz b Shadab 7
C. Carter c Imam b Hasan  2
K. Shah c Shadab b Hasan  26
Ehsan Khan lbw b Shadab  0
Aizaz Khan b Shinwari  27
S. McKechnie lbw b Shinwari  0
Tanvir Afzal b Shinwari  0
Ehsan Nawaz run out   9
Nadeem Ahmed not out   9
Extras: (w4)   4
Total: all out; 37 overs  116

Fall of wickets: 1-17 (Nizakat), 2-32 (Rath), 3-39 (Carter), 4-44 (Hayat), 5-44 (Ehsan), 6-97 (Aizaz), 7-97 (McKechnie), 8-97 (Afzal), 9-99 (Shah)
 
Bowling: Amir 7-1-20-0, Shinwari 7.3-19-3 (w1), Ashraf 4-0-10-1 (w1), Hasan 7-0-19-2, Shadab 8-1-31-2 (w1), Malik 3-0-17-0, Fakhar 0.3-0-0-0

Hong Kong reach 111 for 9 at the end of 35th over. Hong Kong's Mumbai born Kinchit Shah who batted well to score 26 runs slicked Hasan Ali into the waiting hands of Shadab Khan. 

Hong Kong fall to 97 for 8 as Usman Khan strikes thrice in the 31st over (Aizaz Khan b Usman Khan 27), (SS McKechnie lbw b Usman Khan 0) and (Tanwir Afzal b Usman Khan 0).

Aizaz Khan of Hong Kong is cleaned bowled by Pakistan's Usman Khan Shinwari. Virendra Saklani/Gulf News

Hong Kong  is 91 for 5 at the end of 28th over. Sixth wicket partnership between Aizaz Khan and Kinchit Shah has made 50 runs in 12.1 overs.

Kinchit Shah of Hong Kong plays a shot. Virendra Saklani/Gulf News

Hong Kong  reach 61 for 5 at the end of 21st over.

Hong Kong lose two quick wickets (Babar Hayat st †Sarfraz Ahmed b Shadab Khan 7) and (Ehsan Khan lbw b Shadab Khan 0) in the 17th over bowled by Shadab Khan, reach 44 for 5.

Shadab Khan of Pakistan celebrates his second wicket of the over against Hong Kong. Virendra Saklani/Gulf News

Hong Kong lose their 3rd wicket (C Carter c Imam-ul-Haq b Hasan Ali 2), reach 42 for 3 in 15 overs.

Christopher Carter of Hong Kong ducks a bouncer from Pakistan's fast bowler Faheem Ashraf. Virendra Saklani/Gulf News

Another mistake results in Hong Kong losing their second wicket. It was a short of a length delivery from Faheem Ashraf and skipper Anshuman Rath tried to steer away from the body and edged to wicketkeeper. Hong Kong is 32 for 2 in 10 overs.

Pakistani players celebrate the wicket of Hong Kong batsman Anshuman Rath. Virendra Saklani/Gulf News

Hong Kong lose their first wicket (Nizakat Khan) in the 5th over, reach 17 for 1. It was a run out.

Nizakat Khan of Hong Kong departs after being run out. Virendra Saklani/Gulf News

Pakistan team pose with thetrophy before the match against Hong Kong. Virendra Saklani/Gulf News

Hong Kong XI: Anshuman Rath (capt.), Babar Hayat, Nizakat Khan, Tanwir Afzal, Aizaz Khan, Christopher Carter, Nadeem Ahmed, Scott McKechnie (wk), Ehsan Khan, Ehsan Nawaz, Kinchit Shah

Pakistan XI: Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Sarfraz Ahmed (capt. and wk), Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Faheem Ashraf, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Usman Khan.

WATCH: Young cricketers from ICC academy have come for the match as they believe that watching cricket is good for their game:

The two-week tournament is being staged at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium and Abu Dhabi Cricket Stadium.

WATCH: A young Pakistan fan among the few who have turned up for the match in the heat:

On Saturday, Bangladesh overpowered five-time champions Sri Lanka by 137 runs to provide a dramatic opening to the 14^th edition of the Asia Cup. 

Asia Cup 2018: Bangladesh overpower five-time champions Sri Lanka in opener