Hello and welcome to Sportstar’s HIGHLIGHTS of the Asia Cup 2022 match between India and Hong Kong from the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on Wednesday.
INDIA BEAT HONG KONG BY 40 RUNS
A comprehensive win for India when you look at the victory margin but Rohit Sharma will not be too happy with that bowling performance. Arshdeep Singh and Avesh Khan conceded 97 runs in their eight overs, which will be a cause for concern heading into the the business end of the tournament. India has topped Group A and confirmed its Super 4 berth. Now, it is Pakistan and Hong Kong who will vie for a spot in the last four when they face each other on Friday.
When it comes to the batting, however, Suryakumar Yadav stole the show with a blistering unbeaten 26-ball 68 that propelled India to 192 for two. The icing on the cake for India was Virat Kohli’s 44-ball unbeaten 59, which included some glorious shots.
Arshdeep to bowl the last over of the match. Zeeshan clips this low full toss for a single behind square leg. Low full toss again and just a single behind point. FOUR! Third full toss in a row and Zeeshan ends up sweeping this behind for four runs. FOUR! Yorker just outside off and Zeeshan guides this to the third man boundary. Another low full toss and Zeeshan slaps it to deep point for just one. Low full toss and sliced to deep point again for one more. India wins by 40 runs.
Avesh bowls out. SIX! Serenely lofted over long-off by Zeeshan for a maximum. It was in the slot outside off, Zeeshan crouched low to get under it. Single for Zeeashan next ball. McKechnie digs this yorker out back to the bowler. SIX! Short and wide, McKechnie upper cuts it over third man for a maximum. FOUR! This length ball on the pads is whipped away by McKechnie to the backward square leg boundary. FOUR! This is steered between short third man and backward point for another four. Expensive over - 21 runs coming from it.
Bhuvneshwar comes back with the ball. OUT! Shah has to go as the ball shoots up as he lofts this slower ball over mid-off. Bishnoi pouches it on the rebound. McKechnie wants to reverse scoop the last ball of the over but misses it.
And what are we seeing here? Virat Kohli has come on to bowl. Keeps it on a length consistently and attacks the stumps. Tidy over - just six runs from it.
Chahal comes back. Two half-hearted appeals for LBW against Zeeshan as the batter cannot read the googlies. India goes upstairs after the second one is turned down. There is a spike as ball passes bat and India loses the review. Two dots to end the over.
Avesh comes round the stumps. Slow, dug into the pitch and Aizaz gets a top edge on the pull that falls behind the keeper for a couple. Hundred up for Hong Kong in 14.3 overs. FOUR! Banged in short, Aizaz pulls it just out of reach of Suryakumar at midwicket and it runs away for four runs. OUT! Avesh finally gets one. Off-cutter, Aizaz misses and Avesh hits! Zeeshan Ali comes in next. Flicked the last ball of the over off his toes for a single.
Here comes Arshdeep. FOUR! Width outside off and sliced behind point by Shah for four more. The runs now flowing for Hong Kong and the Indian pacers have been off-colour today. This is slower, angling on the pads and punched down the ground for a single. Arshdeep now drags his length back a bit and Aizaz gets a bottom edge trying to step out and hack across the line. This is outside off and Aizaz is beaten comprehensively. Short, into the body and miscued pull by Aizaz to midiwicket for a single. Slow and short and pulled by Shah to deep midwicket for one more.
Avesh is back into the attack. Shah slaps the first one to deep point for a single. FOUR! Thick outside edge and the ball runs away behind the keeper a boundary. It was a length ball outside off and Aizaz went for the cut. Good retort next ball with a bouncer and Aizaz ducks under it. Guided late to third by Aizaz for one more. SIX! Width outside off and Shah clears the rope at deep point.
OUT! Jadeja gets the breakthrough finally. Hayat swings outside off and gets a top edge that is easily pouched by backward point. Aizaz Khan comes in and is off the mark off his first ball with a single. Four singles after the first-ball wicket so far. Dot to end the over as he cramps Aizaz with a length ball that darts into the batter.
Chahal continues. Three singles to start the over. Hayat steps out and swipes across the line but gets just a single at deep square leg. Half-volley on leg and Shah sweeps it behind square leg for a boundary.
Jadeja bowls this third. Hayat rocks back and pulls hard but just a single at deep midwicket. Jadeja keeps attacking the stumps, not giving much room to the batters to free their arms. Another tight over. Just four runs from it.
Chahal darts it in on the pads and Hayat is unable to get the ball away and ends up playing two dot balls. Couple of singles after that. Shah plays a crisp sweep short but to deep square leg for one. Just three runs from it.
Jadeja back for his second over. Two dot balls to Hayat. He almost chops on off the third as he stays back in his crease to defend. Flicked to deep midwicket for a single next ball. Wide down leg to Shah and Jadeja is not too happy with that call as he thinks the batter got some pad on it. Two singles to end the over.
Chahal into the attack. Kinchit Shah is the new batter. He troubles the left-hander Shah outside off with his googlies. Shah finally gets off the mark with a sweep that fetches him a single. Single for Hayat to end the over.
Arshdeep returns. FOUR! Length on the legs and Hayat flicks it away to the fine-leg boundary. Dug into the pitch and Hayat flaps at it clumsily and misses. But the buzzer goes off and it is a no-ball. Free hit coming up. Arshdeep Singh comes from round the wicket. FOUR! Hayat swings and pierces the gap between mid-on and midwicket to collect four on the free hit. Slower yorker and Hayat digs it out to mid-off and hares for a single. FOUR! Width outside off and Nizakat lofts this over extra cover for another boundary. Slower delivery and flicked behind square for a single. Hayat drives down the ground for a single and 50 up for Hong Kong. Another no-ball for overstepping and Arshdeep will need to reload that one. Steered by Nizakat to backward point and Jadeja effects a brilliant direct-hit at the striker’s end and the umpire goes up to check. OUT! And Nizakat has to go as the bat was on the line when Jadeja’s throw disturbed the stumps.
Avesh with the ball now. Starts off with a length ball on the stumps to Nizakat, who misses the flick. Hayat swings and misses outside off next ball. SIX! Stand and deliver as Hayat hammers the next one over long-off for a maximum. FOUR! In the slot on off stump and Hayat clears his front leg and crunches that through the covers for four more. Thumped down the ground to mid-on for just a single. Nizakat gets a bottom edge trying to cut the last ball. Twelve runs from the over.
Jadeja into the attack. Starts off on a length outside off. He then beats Nizakat with one that spins away. Jadeja keeps it consistently on a length outside off and just three runs come from the over.
Bhuvneshwar continues. Babar Hayat is in at number three. Nizakat steers this to third for a single. Two dot balls to Hayat. This one nips into Hayat and raps him high on the thigh. SIX! Hayat hits this through the line and pummels this over the bowler’s head for a maximum. Slower one this outside off and Hayat misses trying to play across the line.
Arshdeep Singh from the other end. Two dot balls to start the over. FOUR! Lucky boundary for Murtaza as he gets a thick outside edge on the flick over backward point. Short next ball and Murtaza is late on the pull and doesn’t connect well. FOUR! Length ball, straight and lofted over mid-on for another boundary. OUT! Short again, couldn’t control the pull and Murtaza ends up skying this to Avesh at deep backward square leg.
The chase begins. Bhuvneshwar Kumar up with the new ball. Skipper Nizakat Khan and Yasin Murtaza are in the middle for Hong Kong. Just four runs from the over.
Arshad to bowl the last over. SIX! Full toss outside off and Suryakumar slashes this over deep point for a maximum. SIX! What have you done Surya? Takes a huge stride outside off, stretches out to reach the ball and still manages to clear the off-side for a maximum. Fifty up for SKY in 22 balls. SIX! Three sixes in a row now for SKY as he hammers this one down the ground. It went very high up and just cleared the rope. Good comeback as this wide short and wide and slow and beats Suryakumar this time. SIX! Fourth six in the over. Short and wide and swivelled and pulled behind for a maximum. A couple of runs to end the over and the innings. A whopping 26 runs from that last over, including four sixes, and India ends with a commanding 192 for two.
A couple for Kohli and that’s his fifty off 40 balls. Two singles off the next two balls. SIX! Kohli you beauty! Gets down on one knee and slog sweeps this with disdain over deep midwicket for a maximum. Full-toss next ball and slashed over extra cover for two more. Dot to end the over.
FOUR! Suryakumar makes room outside off and crunches this over covers for a boundary. FOUR! Another boundary next ball as Suryakumar deftly dabs this behind the keeper. He misses the sweep next ball but called wide. This couldn’t have been close as replays suggest that it went off his boot, which was in front of leg stump. Another appeal now, for caught behind and stumping this time, as Suryakumar misses trying to ramp this short ball. SKY survives on both accounts. SIX! Suryakumar’s flourishing wrists in all their glory! Steps out just a bit and flicks this full one on the legs over the deep square-leg boundary. Two dot ballls to end the over.
Ehsan with the ball. Quicker one and Kohli goes for the reverse-sweep and misses. Punched to long-on off the backfoot for a single. He moves to 47. Yorker this one and Suryakumar only manages an inside-edge onto his pads for a single. Kohli moves to 48 with another one. Ehsan yorks Suryakumar again and this is driven back to the bowler. One bye to end the over.
SIX! Kohli steps out and hammers this slot delivery over deepmidwicket for a maximum. He runs this down to third with an open face for a single. FOUR! Audacious batting by Suryakumar as he stays back and swipes to find a boundary behind point. SIX! This is even more outrageous! Moves away slightly across the stumps and ramps this behind and over the ‘keeper for a maximum. Cut away to deep point next ball for a single. Kohli on strike - batting on 45. This is going down leg side - called wide. Pulled to midwicket for a single.
Shukla back into the attack. Kohli punches the first one straight to extra cover. Punched away this time to long-on for a single without much timing on it. Full on the legs and Suryakumar whips it away to square leg for one more. Tucked off his pads by Kohli for another single behind square leg. FOUR! Suryakumar shuffles across the stumps, Shukla bowls a low full-toss down leg and Suryakumar sends that crashing to the fine-leg boundary. A horrible misfield gives him four runs.
Murtaza bowls out. Suryakumar Yadav is the next man in. FOUR! Surya goes for the sweep the first ball he faces and sends it to the boundary behind square leg for four runs. FOUR! This sweep is finer and also races to the boundary. Back-to-back fours for Suryakumar. Shortens his length and Suryakumar whips it away to long-on for a couple.
Ghazanfar continues. SIX! Two singles later Kohli gets low and slog sweeps this over deep midwicket for a maximum. OUT! Rahul’s agony comes to an end. He also goes for the slog sweep, probably trying to emulate Kohli, and the ball bounces a bit more than expected and takes the top edge to the keeper.
Kohli goes after Murtaza now. Steps out but only manages to sky this short of deep midwicket for a single. Rahul shuffles across the stumps and paddles sweeps this behind the stumps for a couple. Rahul now comes down the track but gets just one at long-on. Rahul goes for the reverse-sweep but misses and there is a half-hearted shout for LBW but not given.
Ghazanfar, another spinner comes on to bowl. Kohli steps down the track, the bowler misses a dropped chance and he collect a couple. FOUR! He connect well this time, stepping out again and this four down the ground. Kohli rocks back and pulls to deep midwicket for a single off the last ball of the over.
Murtaza to continue. Kohli steps out and cuts it straight to extra cover. Single at midwicket next ball. Miscued shot from Rahul as he doesn’t time this at all, dragging a short one from wide outside off to long-on. Kohli takes one more next ball. Another tight over and just four singles from it.
Kohli is unable to put this length ball on the pads away and the ball brushes his pad. Kohli hacks across the line and gets a single at deep midwicket. SIX! Full and straight and Rahul smokes this over deep midwicket for a maximum. Just a couple of runs from the last three balls of the over.
Left-arm spinner Yasim Murtaza with the ball now. Just three runs off the first three ball. Rahul cuts one off the backfoot and between cover and point but some good fielding in the deep keeps it to just a couple of runs. Murtaza keeping it very slow and giving the batters little pace to work with.
Pacer Aizaz Khan now comes with the ball after the PowerPlay. Kohli starts off with a single at long-on. Aizaz goes down leg next ball; wide ball called. Rahul and Kohli dealing in singles here. Kohli shimmies down the track and flicks one to deep midwicket for a single. Rahul living dangerously here. He gets a top edge on the pull and it goes high up and falls wide of deep third for a single. Driven away by Kohli for a couple of runs next ball. Kohli wants a second off the last ball but Rahul sends him back.
Ehsan into his third over. Kohli presses forward and drives through covers for a single. Punched for a single at long-on next ball by Rahul. Kohli whips this fullish ball to long-on for one more. Two singles to end the over. Rahul was in trouble off the fifth ball when got a thick outside edge trying to push through covers.
Shukla continues. Rahul punches off the backfoot but finds the cover fielder with pinpoint accuracy. Dot ball. Rahul gets off strike with a single off the third ball of the over, opening the face of the bat for a single at third man. FOUR! Slot delivery, straight and Rohit backs away outside leg and thumps it down the ground for a one-bounce four. OUT! Rohit is gone next ball. Rohit is undone by the lack of pace. It is a good length delivery just outside off and he gets it high off the bat and skies a catch to a diving mid-off fielder. Kohli prods the ball tentatively down the ground and collects a single.
Ehsan Khan into the attack with his off-spin. Two singles to start the over. Good over from Ehsan as just five runs come from it. He bowls it on the shorter side to ensure the batters don’t get under the ball. Rohit miscues a sweep off the last ball to short fine-leg.
SIX! Rohit cuts loose! Steps down the track, gets to the pitch of the ball and smokes it over long-on for a maximum. Fullish and flicked to midwicket for a single. Full, angling down leg and Rahul clips it off his toes to fine-leg for a couple. The buzzer goes off and it is a front-foot no-ball too from Arshad. What was that? The ball seems to have popped out of the bowler’s hand and it is wide and high. No-ball called for height. Free-hit continues. SIX! Good-length ball and Rahul spanks this for a maximum over the midwicket fence. Full on the toes again and tucked away for one more behind square on the leg-side for Rahul. FOUR! Rohit ends the over with another boundary and it is a 22-run over.
Ayush Shukla from the other end. Rohit cuts this length ball between cover and point for a single. On the money next ball and Rahul is forced to defend on the front foot. A bit of an inside edge and guided back to the bowler by Rahul next ball. Three dot balls as Rahul punches this straight to cover. Four dots in a row now. Defended again and this also takes a bit of his inside edge. Just one run from the over. Rahul batting on 2 off 9 balls.
Haroon Arshad has the new ball. Fullish and straight first ball and KL Rahul gets behind the line and defends it back to the bowler. Arshad follows it up with a wide down leg. Rahul punches the third ball to cover and is yet to get off the mark. Rahul steers this length ball to third man for a single and is finally off the mark in this tournament. A bit of in-swing, going on leg and Rohit flicks it to deep square for one more. Rahul hops and tucks this to short fine for another single. Rohit keeps strike with a single off the last ball, clipping one off his toes to square leg.
Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul are out to open the innings for India. Hong Kong players done with the huddle.
7:24 IST: The teams file out for the national anthems. Hong Kong’s first up. Done with the anthems. Live action soon.
INDIA PLAYING XI: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Ravindra Jadeja, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Avesh Khan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh.
HONG KONG PLAYING XI: Nizakat Khan (c), Yasim Murtaza, Babar Hayat, Kinchit Shah, Aizaz Khan, Scott McKechnie (wk), Zeeshan Ali, Haroon Arshad, Ehsan Khan, Ayush Shukla, Mohammad Ghazanfar.
Rohit Sharma: We were going to bowl first as well. Looks like an even covering of grass and we need to bat well to get to a good score. We just want to continue to do what we are doing as a team. We don’t want to look at the opposition and play good and hard cricket. We need to do our basics right, which is what got us a victory against Pakistan. One change: Hardik is rested, considering how important he is for us. Pant comes in.
Nizakat Khan: We are going to bowl first. In Oman, we chased down well and that is what we are looking to do. The last time we played India, it was a good game and we know we did some mistakes and want to make sure we capitalise on that. We have the same team we played against UAE.
TOSS: Hong Kong wins the toss and elects to bowl. Rishabh Pant replaces Hardik Pandya in India’s Playing XI.
Deepak Hooda and Ravi Bishnoi are practising at the venue ahead of the game. Any changes coming up?
A new pitch awaits the India vs Hong Kong match today in Dubai
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India Predicted XI: Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Deepak Hooda, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh.
Hong Kong Predicted XI: Nizakat Khan (c), Yasim Murtaza, Babar Hayat, Kinchit Shah, Aizaz Khan, Scott McKechnie (wk), Zeeshan Ali, Haroon Arshad, Ehsan Khan, Mohammad Ghazanfar, Ayush Shukla.
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MATCH PREVIEW
Going by what unfurled the previous time the two teams met, India can expect Hong Kong to come out fighting in their Asia Cup Group A clash in Dubai on Wednesday.
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It was in the 2018 Asia Cup, played in the ODI format, where India survived a scare from the minnow. Chasing 286, Hong Kong openers Nizakat Khan and Anshuman Rath put on an excellent 174-run stand to set the cat among the pigeons. It was only inexperience that pulled Hong Kong down, allowing India to escape with a 26-run victory.
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India, having edged out Pakistan on Sunday, will look to finish its group stage campaign with a big win.
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