Butter-fingered Hong Kong China give Sri Lanka a scare

Nizakat Khan became second Hong Kong China batter to score a T20I fifty in the Asia Cup	Dushmantha Chameera was Sri Lanka’s best bowler with 2/29	Stand and deliver – Pathum Nissanka gets to another half-century

• First-ever international between the two sides in any format

DUBAI: Sri Lanka playing Hong Kong China in an international cricket match in any format were given a scare before winning their Group B match of the Asia Cup by four wickets with 7 balls to spare, at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium yesterday.

Chasing a target of 150, Sri Lanka lost four wickets for 8 runs off 12 balls, with their middle order suffering a collapse, and Hong Kong China sensed a rare win. However, it was their catching that let them down.

Hong Kong China were eventually left kicking themselves for not holding onto their catches. They dropped five, including three against Pathum Nissanka and two against Kusal Perera. That sloppiness and that crucial no-ball in the 18th over, which saw the free-hit go for six, ensured Sri Lanka got away. 

Hong Kong China started well and kept the openers at bay during the powerplay. They got Kusal Mendis, but Pathum Nissanka continued his good form and looked to be taking his side home as he notched up yet another fifty – 68 off 44 balls (6 fours, 2 sixes) – his 17th in T20I, one better than Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera. But his dismissal, followed by Perera’s, sparked a late comeback from Hong Kong China.

A couple more wickets made it a lot tighter, but Hasaranga’s cameo at the end was crucial. Still, Hong Kong China should be proud of their efforts—just that they need more work on their fielding, which was abysmal and was the difference between the two sides. 

Earlier, Hong Kong China gave themselves an outside chance by putting up a total on the board. The innings kept flowing like a seesaw. They started well, with the openers being positive, but lost their way after the powerplay and found it back after the drinks break. The partnership between Nizakat Khan (52 off 38 balls, 4 fours, 2 sixes) and Anshuman Rath (48 off 46 balls, 4 fours) was the base to this total. The pair used their experience and switched gears when needed. Rath fell two short of his fifty, while Nizakat got to his in the last over, becoming only the second Hong Kong China player to get a 50+ score in the Asia Cup.

Dushmantha Chameera was again Sri Lanka’s best bowler with 2/29, while Kusal Mendis equalled Kumar Sangakkara for most wicket-keeping dismissals for Sri Lanka in T20Is (45 dismissals in 56 matches for both).

SCOREBOARD

HONG KONG

Zeeshan Ali c Kusal Mendis b Chameera 23

Anshy Rath c Kamindu Mendis b Chameera 48

Babar Hayat c Kusal Mendis b Hasaranga 04

Nizakat Khan not out 52

Yasmin Murtaza c Chameera b Shanaka 05

Aizaz Khan not out 04

Extras (b-1, lb-7, nb-1, w-4) 13

Total (4 wickets, 20 overs) 149

Fall of wickets: 1-41 (Zeeshan), 2-57 (Babar), 3-118 (Anshy), 4-127 (Murtaza)

Did not bat: Shahid Wasif, Kinchit Shah, Ehsan Khan, Ayush Shukla, Ateeq Iqbal

Bowling: Thushara 4-0-36-0 (1nb), Chameera 4-0-29-2, Theekshana 4-0-22-0 (4w), Hasaranga 4-0-27-1, Asalanka 3-0-22-0, Shanaka 1-0-5-1.

SRI LANKA

P Nissanka run out 68

Kusal Mendis c Rath b Shukla 11

K Mishara c Hayat b Aizaz 19

K Perera lbw b Murtaza 20

D Shanaka not out 06 

C Asalanka c Shukla b Eshan 02

Kamindu Mendis c Hayat b Murtaza 05

W Hasaranga not out 20

Extras (lb-1, nb-1) 02

Total (6 wickets, 18.5 overs) 153

Fall of wickets: 1-26 (Kusal Mendis), 2-62 (Mishara), 3-119 (Nissanka), 4-119 (Perera), 5-122 (Asalanka), 6-127 (Kamindu Mendis).

Did not bat: D Chameera, M Theekshana, N Thushara

Bowling: Murtaza 4-0-37-2 (1nb), Shukla 3-0-30-1, Ateeq 2.5-1-18-0, Ehsan 4-0-25-1, Kinchit 2-0-15-0, Aizaz 3-0-27-1.