Disappointing Hong Kong slump to 28-run loss to Nepal in Dubai opener

Hong Kong has slumped to a disappointing 28-run loss to Nepal in the opening round of matches at the ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier 2012 played at the ICC Global Cricket Academy in the UAE.

The defeat continued a poor sequence of results against Nepal in the opening round of competitions, including the ACC Twenty20 Cup 2010 in Kathmandu and the ACC Trophy Elite 2011 in Kuwait, while the only reversal occurred at the Asian Games in 2010.

After a strong showing at the ACC Twenty20 Cup 2011 in Nepal, which saw Hong Kong narrowly lose to Afghanistan in the final, prematch expectations were high in the Hong Kong camp while the game itself saw 16-year-old Daljeet Singh become the latest player to don the 'baggy red' cap for Hong Kong.

Nepal's skipper Paras Khadka won the toss and elected to bat in ideal conditions. Daljeet opened the bowling for Hong Kong - his first ball in international cricket a wide outside off stump. However his third ball was a ripper which brushed the outside edge of Pradeep Airee's lunging bat. Nepal struck back immediately with a boundary and when a poor infield throw saw Hong Kong concede another four over throws, Singh's first over had cost 12 runs. Moner Ahmed shared the new ball and he grabbed a wicket in his first over when he bowled Sharad Vesawkar with his fourth delivery to leave Nepal awkwardly placed at 2-12 after two overs.

Nepal skipper Paras Khadka joined Paresh Lohani at the crease and the pair batted efficiently to take the score to 38 before Lohani, who had been given an early life by Courtney Kruger, was stumped by Waqas Barkat for 12 off the bowling of Nizakat Khan. A match-best partnership worth 56 runs between Khadka and wicket-keeper Gyanendra Malla lifted the score to 94 before Malla holed out to Asif Khan in the deep off the bowling of Aizaz Khan for 26 off 24 balls. The Nepal skipper shared another useful stand worth 34 runs with Mahaboob Alam before Alam (13) was caught brilliantly in the deep by Nizakat Khan off the first ball of the 20th over, bowled by Moner Ahmed. Khadka's excellent innings came to an end three balls later when he was beaten in the flight and expertly stumped by Waqas Barkat for a well-struck 68 off 62 balls, including 7 boundaries. Nepal finished on 130-6 from their 20 overs.

Moner Ahmed finished with the best figures for Hong Kong with 3-15 from his 4 overs while Daljeet Singh (1-20), Nizakat Khan (1-21) and Aizaz Khan (1-8) were the other wicket takers.

Irfan Hamed and Babar Hayat opened the innings for Hong Kong and Irfan struck a beautiful boundary through long-on off the first ball of the innings from Chandra Sawad but he perished off the second ball to a top edge that flew to third man where it was grabbed by Sharad Vesawkar. Hong Kong skipper Jamie Atkinson also opened his account with a four off the first ball he faced and he struck another two boundaries in 8 balls cameo before falling LBW to Shakti Gauchan to leave Hong Kong at 2-19 after 2 overs. Worse was to follow as Moner Ahmed drove his first ball airily to mid-off and when Babar Hayat fell to a catch in the slips three balls later, Hong Kong had slumped to 4-21 after three overs. More poor shot selection then accounted for Courtney Kruger (2), who was caught at mid-off, and Roy Lamsam (5) who perished when he attempted a paddle shot that looped to the fielder at fine leg after a partnership of 25 runs with Nizakat Khan.

Nizakat played a lone hand in the top half of the batting line up. His 32 runs were scored off 27 balls and included 3 fours and one booming six that sailed into the vegetation beyond the sight screen. Waqas Barkat played a useful supporting role and while this pair stayed together, Hong Kong clung to a faint hope of pulling off a spectacular victory. However, like many of those that came before them, both batters fell to poor shots - Nizakat to a lofted shot straight to the fielder on the boundary at long-on and Waqas to a blooped paddle shot to third man. One more Hong Kong wicket fell when Aizaz Khan carelessly ran himself out after hitting the ball directly to cover and taking off for a suicidal single.

Hong Kong was spared the ignominy of being bowled out within their 20 overs thanks to a last wicket stand of 24 between Daljeet Singh and Asif Khan that took Hong Kong's final total to 9-102 after 20 overs. Number 11 Asif showed his peers that batting on the wicket was easy as he struck two boundaries in his innings of 17* that was Hong Kong's second best on the day.

For Nepal, opening bowler Chandra Sawad picked up 4-24 from four overs while Shakti Gauchan and Sanjam Regmi claimed two wickets apiece.

Summary: Nepal 130-6 from 20 overs (P Khadka 68, G Malla 26; Moner Ahmed 3-15) beat Hong Kong 102-9 from 20 overs (Nizakat Khan 32; C Sawad 4-24) by 28 runs

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