Hayat, Rath take Hong Kong to series win

Babar Hayat, the Hong Kong captain, and Anshuman Rath, the all-rounder, played starring roles as the home side beat Papua New Guinea by seven wickets (D/L method) in a rain-affected third and final One-Day International at Mission Road ground in Mong Kok to seal the series 2-1.

Hayat's unbeaten 87-ball 82 helped Hong Kong ease past the revised target of 178 (in 38 overs) in just 33.3 overs after Rath had picked up 3 for 25 with his left-arm spin to limit PNG to 244 for 7 in its 50 overs despite Mahuru Dai’s strokeful 76 not out.

Rath also chipped in with an unbeaten 52 off 60 deliveries during a big stand with Hayat to cap a fine all-round performance.

In the first half, after it had opted to bat, PNG suffered mainly because its top-order batsmen failed to convert starts. The trend began when Tony Ura, the opener, was run out for 20 after a 56-run stand with Vani Morea, who fell to Rath for 35 as PNG reached 75 for 2.

Rath wreaked havoc in the top order as he went on to also dismiss Lega Siaka and Sese Bau. Assad Vala, the PNG captain who was instrumental in the team winning the previous game, was disimissed for one, adding to PNG's woes.

At 79 for 4, things were looking dire for PNG, but a 45-run stand between Sese Bau and Dogodo Bau (13) got things going again before Sese was dismissed for 44. Dai's unbeaten 62-ball 76 from No. 7 then gave PNG a real lift towards the end of the innings.

Christoper Carter and Kinchit Shah, the Hong Kong openers, fell for nine and 18 respectively, as it reached 48 for 2, but Hayat was firm, and the wickets stopped falling when Rath joined Hayat and the two of them stitched together an impressive unbroken 120-run stand in just 121 balls to see Hong Kong through.