Pakistan thumped Hong Kong by 155 runs in the Group A fixture of the ACC T20 Asia Cup on Friday to set up Super-4 matches against India (on Sunday in Dubai), Afghanistan (on Wednesday in Sharjah) and Sri Lanka (on Friday in Dubai).
This was Pakistan’s biggest victory in terms of runs after they had defeated the West Indies by 143 runs in Karachi in April 2018 and New Zealand by 103 runs in Christchurch in December 2010. For Hong Kong, their score of 38 was the joint-ninth lowest total in the history of T20Is behind Turkey (21), Lesotho (26), Turkey (28), Thailand (30), Turkey (32), Finland (33), Philippines (36), Panama (37) and Cameroon (38).
Power-hitter Khushdil Shah faced 15 balls and scored 35 not out, while big-hitters Asif Ali and Iftikhar Ahmed as well as Shadab Khan remained unutilised as third-ranked Pakistan collected 193 for two after being sent into bat.
Shadab took four for eight, Mohammad Nawaz bagged three for five and Naseem Shah snapped up two for seven as the three were in a hurry and wrapped up Hong Kong’s innings in 10.4 overs.
Khushdil clobbered five sixes, including four in the final five balls of the innings, which helped Pakistan to add 55 runs in the last three overs after the they were struggling at 138 for two in 17 overs. After a boundary-free penultimate over, Khushdil sealed the match in the last six deliveries of the innings which yielded 29 runs.
Khushdil added 64 runs for the unbroken third wicket in 23 balls with Mohammad Rizwan, whose contribution was 16 runs in eight balls. Rizwan failed to find a boundary off his last seven deliveries but still managed to finish as the top-scorer with a 57-ball 78 not out with six fours and a six.
After Babar Azam (nine off eight) departed earlier, Rizwan added 116 runs for the second wicket with Fakhar Zaman, who slapped three fours and two sixes in a 41-ball 53.
While Rizwan reached his 14th half-century off 42 balls with four fours and a six, Fakhar completed his eighth half-century from 38 balls with three fours and two sixes.
When India played Hong Kong last Wednesday, they scored 192 for two and then restricted the 20th ranked side for 152 for five. However, the fact that made India’s victory more impressive and attractive was the performance of their power-hitter Suryakumar Yadav, who scored 68 off 26 balls with six fours and six sixes, which helped the defending champions to collect 78 runs in the last five overs, including 54 runs in the last three overs.
When India and Pakistan squared off in Dubai last week, India snatched victory by the skin of their teeth, romping to the 148-run target for the loss of five wickets with two balls to spare.
Nonetheless, past matches will have no bearing on Sunday’s game when the two sides will aim to make a winning start to the Super-4 stage.
Scores in brief:
Pakistan 193-2, 20 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 78 not out, Fakhar Zaman 53, Khushdil Shah 35 not out; Ehsan Khan 2-28)
Hong Kong 38 all out, 10.4 overs (Shadab Khan 2.4-0-8-4; Mohammad Nawaz 2-0-5-3, Naseem Shah 2-0-7-2)
Player of the match: Mohammad Rizwan (Pakistan)
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