Hong Kong beats PNG to seal WT20 spot

Hong Kong became the fifth team to qualify for the ICC World Twenty20 2014 in Bangladesh, sealing its spot with a 29-run win against Papua New Guinea in the Qualifier Play-off match at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Thursday (November 28). This will be the first time Hong Kong will take part in the World Twenty20.

Babar Hayat led the batting effort with a 47-ball 48 as Hong Kong put up 137 for 9, and the bowlers then shot out PNG for 108 all out in 19.1 overs, led by Munir Dar’s 3 for 26.

Hong Kong had lost a last-ball thriller against Nepal in the quarterfinal on Wednesday, and it went into the must-win clash against PNG without Jamie Atkinson, the regular captain, who sat out with an injured thumb.

PNG started well, with Willie Gavera (3 for 23) dismissing three of the top four batsmen cheaply to reduce Hong Kong to 19 for 4 in the fourth over. Hayat and Dar then got together for a 35-run stand that stemmed the flow of wickets. Dar fell for a brisk 15-ball 22, caught by Mahuru Dai off the bowling of Charles Amini, but Hayat found a good ally in Mark Chapman. The duo shared a 62-run stand for the sixth wicket, and though Hong Kong lost a rush of wickets once Chapman fell in the 18th over, the two middle-order partnerships had ensured it had a competitive total on the board.

Pipi Raho (3 for 22) and Gavera were PNG’s best bowlers.

PNG also lost early wickets in its chase, and was 34 for 3 in 7.1 overs. However, unlike Hong Kong, the PNG middle order couldn’t resurrect the innings, with only Amini (30 off 24) doing well. Dar made inroads in the latter half of the innings and effected a run-out to complete a good all-round day.

Hayat, the Man of the Match for his good batting in a match dominated by bowlers, said the entire team deserved credit for the win. “I am really happy the way guys played and bowled,” he said. “I was hitting the ball well. I just took my time inside to get set, and I was hitting the ball. Everyone was giving their hundred percent and the guys bowled really well at the start and in the death overs, so credit goes to everyone.”

Waqas Barkat, the Hong Kong captain, was overjoyed with his team’s qualification for the ICC World Twenty20. “I have no words,” said Barkat. “It will be the first time Hong Kong will play in the World Twenty20 tournament. We are a lucky team, and everyone from our coaching staff worked on us which is working out good. Even after losing a few wickets, we did not let our heads go down. We just wanted to score above 120. As this was the third game on this track, chasing anything above 120 would have been difficult for any side. So the plan for our bowlers was to bowl in the off stump region and not give any width. They stuck to it which worked out for us in the end.”

Hong Kong will end its campaign in the tournament with a fifth place play-off match on Friday.Hong Kong became the fifth team to qualify for the ICC World Twenty20 2014 in Bangladesh, sealing its spot with a 29-run win against Papua New Guinea in the Qualifier Play-off match at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi on Thursday (November 28). This will be the first time Hong Kong will take part in the World Twenty20.

Babar Hayat led the batting effort with a 47-ball 48 as Hong Kong put up 137 for 9, and the bowlers then shot out PNG for 108 all out in 19.1 overs, led by Munir Dar’s 3 for 26.

Hong Kong had lost a last-ball thriller against Nepal in the quarterfinal on Wednesday, and it went into the must-win clash against PNG without Jamie Atkinson, the regular captain, who sat out with an injured thumb.

PNG started well, with Willie Gavera (3 for 23) dismissing three of the top four batsmen cheaply to reduce Hong Kong to 19 for 4 in the fourth over. Hayat and Dar then got together for a 35-run stand that stemmed the flow of wickets. Dar fell for a brisk 15-ball 22, caught by Mahuru Dai off the bowling of Charles Amini, but Hayat found a good ally in Mark Chapman. The duo shared a 62-run stand for the sixth wicket, and though Hong Kong lost a rush of wickets once Chapman fell in the 18th over, the two middle-order partnerships had ensured it had a competitive total on the board.

Pipi Raho (3 for 22) and Gavera were PNG’s best bowlers.

PNG also lost early wickets in its chase, and was 34 for 3 in 7.1 overs. However, unlike Hong Kong, the PNG middle order couldn’t resurrect the innings, with only Amini (30 off 24) doing well. Dar made inroads in the latter half of the innings and effected a run-out to complete a good all-round day.

Hayat, the Man of the Match for his good batting in a match dominated by bowlers, said the entire team deserved credit for the win. “I am really happy the way guys played and bowled,” he said. “I was hitting the ball well. I just took my time inside to get set, and I was hitting the ball. Everyone was giving their hundred percent and the guys bowled really well at the start and in the death overs, so credit goes to everyone.”

Waqas Barkat, the Hong Kong captain, was overjoyed with his team’s qualification for the ICC World Twenty20. “I have no words,” said Barkat. “It will be the first time Hong Kong will play in the World Twenty20 tournament. We are a lucky team, and everyone from our coaching staff worked on us which is working out good. Even after losing a few wickets, we did not let our heads go down. We just wanted to score above 120. As this was the third game on this track, chasing anything above 120 would have been difficult for any side. So the plan for our bowlers was to bowl in the off stump region and not give any width. They stuck to it which worked out for us in the end.”

Hong Kong will end its campaign in the tournament with a fifth place play-off match on Friday.