Right then, that is it from this game and two arch-rivals, India and Pakistan have secured their places in the semifinals with a couple of spots still to be filled. On Wednesday, the 4th of October we will witness the remaining two quarterfinals and in the first game, Afghanistan will take on Sri Lanka at 6.30 am IST (1 am GMT). This will be followed by a match-up between Bangladesh and Malaysia starting at 11.30 am IST (6 am GMT). Both matches will be played at the same venue and you can join us in advance for the build-up as well. Cheers!
Hong Kong will be slightly disheartened with that batting display, particularly the way the middle order just crumbled against the Pakistani spinners. They did play well in patches and bowled extremely well but lost the plot and the very final over of the first innings from Ayush Shukla might have picked have a couple of wickets but he conceded 26 runs as well which handed the mental advantage to the opposition going into the break. With the bat, skipper Nizakat Khan made a decent start but lost his opening partner for a duck. It was then Babar Hayat who escaped a stumping chance and mustered up a few runs. But once they lost 4 wickets, it went downhill all too quickly for them and even a couple of little cameos at the death couldn't take them over the 100-run mark.
A very commanding victory then for Pakistan and they have taken a big step forward to get into medal contention as they zoom through into the semifinals. After a fairly difficult start with the bat, the middle order managed to get them back into the contest and the stunning cameo from Aamer Jamal allowed them to get over the 150-run mark. With the ball, however, they made a good start as Arafat Minhas got an early wicket. It was quiet for a while but once they got into that middle order, the likes of Khushdil Shah and Sufiyan Muqeem just ripped through. Slowly but surely enough Pakistan got the job done as skipper Qasim Akram himself came on and picked up the final two wickets.
Over 18.5 : 92/10
1 Runs
1 LB
18.1
018.2
018.3
018.4
W
18.5
N. Ali
12 (9)
E. Khan
15 (21)
Q. Akram
1.5-0-5-2
18.5
W
Qasim Akram To Niaz Ali OUT!
OUT! IN THE AIR AND GONE! All over for Hong Kong! Qasim Akram flights this up, full and around middle, Niaz Ali goes for the slog-sweep but miscues it in the air towards deep mid-wicket where Khushdil Shah settles under it and takes a fine catch. PAKISTAN WIN BY 68 RUNS!
18.4
0
Qasim Akram To Niaz Ali
Pushed through quicker, full and on middle, turns away again, Niaz Ali gets stuck in his crease and misses.
18.3
0
Qasim Akram To Niaz Ali
Quicker, short and outside off, Niaz Ali looks to cut it but misses.
18.2
0
Qasim Akram To Niaz Ali
Floated, full and on middle, turns away with extra bounce, Niaz Ali backs away but is nowhere near to play it.
18.1
lb
Qasim Akram To Ehsan Khan
Flatter, short and on middle, turns in, Ehsan Khan gets cramped and clips it towards short fine leg for a single.
Over 18 : 91/9
11 Runs
117.1
617.2
117.3
117.4
117.5
117.6
E. Khan
15 (20)
N. Ali
12 (5)
A. Iqbal
3-0-23-0
17.6
1
Arshad Iqbal To Ehsan Khan
A full toss now, on middle, Ehsan Khan drills it towards deep mid-wicket for one more.
17.5
1
Arshad Iqbal To Niaz Ali
Another full delivery around off, Niaz Ali throws his bat at it but gets a top edge wide of third man for one.
17.4
1
Arshad Iqbal To Ehsan Khan
Pitched up and on middle, Ehsan Khan works it towards deep mid-wicket for another run.
17.3
1
Arshad Iqbal To Niaz Ali
Full again and outside off, Niaz Ali slices it towards third man for a run.
17.2
6
Arshad Iqbal To Niaz Ali
SIX! WOW! Arshad Iqbal serves this full and around off, Niaz Ali makes some room by moving to the leg side and smashes it over the deep extra cover fence for a biggie.
17.1
1
Arshad Iqbal To Ehsan Khan
Full and on middle, angling in, Ehsan Khan flicks it through square leg for a single.
Over 17 : 80/9
5 Runs
016.1
016.2
116.3
W
16.4
016.5
416.6
N. Ali
4 (2)
E. Khan
12 (17)
Q. Akram
1-0-5-1
16.6
4
Qasim Akram To Niaz Ali
FOUR! Nice shot! Qasim Akram lands this short and around off, Niaz Ali moves back and punches it over covers for a boundary.
16.5
0
Qasim Akram To Niaz Ali
Flighted, full and on off, turns away, Niaz Ali looks to slog-sweep it away but misses.
Niaz Ali is the last man in for Hong Kong.
16.4
W
Qasim Akram To Mohammad Ghazanfar OUT!
OUT! DRAGGED ON! Qasim Akram gets a wicket now! He fires this one full and outside off, Mohammad Ghazanfar stays back and has a wild hoick across the line but only manages to get an inside edge back onto the stumps. Pakistan one wicket away from the win now!
16.3
1
Qasim Akram To Ehsan Khan
Quicker, full and on leg, Ehsan Khan sweeps it off the bottom edge towards short fine leg for one.
16.2
0
Qasim Akram To Ehsan Khan
Floated, full and on middle, turns in, Ehsan Khan moves across to sweeps but misses it.
16.1
0
Qasim Akram To Ehsan Khan
Short and on off, Ehsan Khan dabs it towards point.
Over 16 : 75/8
7 Runs
115.1
1 B
15.2
015.3
015.4
415.5
115.6
E. Khan
11 (14)
M. Ghazanfar
2 (6)
A. Minhas
4-0-19-2
15.6
1
Arafat Minhas To Ehsan Khan
A bit short and on middle, Ehsan Khan nudges it through mid-wicket for one.
15.5
4
Arafat Minhas To Ehsan Khan
FOUR! Good shot! This is flatter, full and around leg, Ehsan Khan goes down and paddles it nicely past short fine leg for a boundary.
15.4
0
Arafat Minhas To Ehsan Khan
Quicker, full and on middle, Ehsan Khan keeps it out to the leg side.
15.3
0
Arafat Minhas To Ehsan Khan
Floated, full and on leg, Ehsan Khan looks to work it away but misses and gets hit on the pads.
15.2
b
Arafat Minhas To Mohammad Ghazanfar
Fires this one full and on leg, Mohammad Ghazanfar backs away to drill it away but misses and the keeper fails to stop it as well. A bye is taken.
15.1
1
Arafat Minhas To Ehsan Khan
A low full toss, on leg, Ehsan Khan clips it towards deep square leg for a single.
Over 15 : 68/8
3 Runs
114.1
114.2
014.3
014.4
114.5
014.6
M. Ghazanfar
2 (5)
E. Khan
5 (9)
K. Shah
4-0-13-3
14.6
0
Khushdil Shah To Mohammad Ghazanfar
Very tentative but gets away with it. Gives it a lot more air and floats it around off, getting it to turn away. Mohammad Ghazanfar goes on the back foot and pushes at it but ends up lobbing the ball just in front of the backward point region.
14.5
1
Khushdil Shah To Ehsan Khan
Full and around off, Ehsan Khan gets inside the line and sweeps it well down to deep backward square leg for a single.
14.4
0
Khushdil Shah To Ehsan Khan
Slower and shorter outside off, Ehsan Khan stands tall and punches it gently toward cover.
PAK 160/10
Top Bowlers
HK 92/10
Top Batsmen
