Pakistan got their Asia Cup preparation off to the perfect start at the Dubai International Cricket stadium as they thrashed Hong Kong by eight wickets in their Group A clash.
The minnows elected to bat first after skipper Anshy Rath won the toss but were unable to put a significant dent in the scoreboard after being bowled out for just 116 runs.
In reply, Pakistan were untroubled for the large part as they coasted to a win inside 24 overs.
Here, we look at the key talking points from the clash.
ANSHY RATH FAILS TO COME TO THE PARTY
If Hong Kong were going to make a fist of their clash against what are the tournament favourites, they needed their skipper Anshy Rath to come good with the bat.
The 20-year-old batsman had been the key to Hong Kong’s qualification to the competition with a superb ton and a half-century in the qualifiers. On Sunday though, he failed to come to the party against a quality Pakistan bowling attack.
The left-hander was highly tentative outside the off-stump to start with and that proved to be his undoing at the Dubai International Stadium eventually. After poking and missing multiple times outside the off-stump, the youngster finally edged a Faheem Ashraf delivery outside off-stump straight into the hands of the wicketkeeper. His dismissal for 19 triggered a dramatic batting collapse for the minnows.
Anshy Rath's ODI average perilously close to dropping below fifty now. Needs to make at least 45 against India (or a not-out).
— Bertus de Jong (@BdJcricket) September 16, 2018
#PAKvHK #AsiaCup
PAKISTAN’S QUALITY BOWLING ATTACK HAS A FIELD DAY
The men in green undisputedly possess the best bowling attack in the competition and it showed against the minnows. Despite pace spearhead Mohammad Amir having a largely off-day, the likes of Usman Khan, Hasan Ali, Shadab Khan and Faheem Ashraf proved to be too good for Hong Kong’s batsmen.
Shadab, who had affected a brilliant run-out to give Pakistan their first wicket, picked up two wickets in his first three deliveries itself to put Hong Kong in a spot of bother. The minnows did fight back briefly with a 53-stand for the sixth wicket between Aizaz Khan and Kinchit Shah but that was as good as it got for Hong Kong with Usman Khan returning in 31st over of the innings to wreck the batting for good.
The left-armed pacer picked up three wickets in a single over as Hong Kong slumped from 97-5 to 97-8.
In the end, Hong Kong’s paltry innings ended in the same fashion that it had started – with a run out.
Hong Kong tried hard but there is no let up in the bowling with Pakistan. Were outgunned. Like the energy and pace of Usman Khan.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) September 16, 2018
BABAR AZAM ATTAINS LANDMARKS AS PAKISTAN MAKE SHORT WORK OF TARGET
A target of only 117 was never really going to trouble Pakistan whose batting has been firing tremendously of late. Fakhar Zaman and Imam-ul-Haq started from where they had left off at Zimbabwe with a steady opening stand. There would, however, be no extended fireworks from the former on Sunday after he was dismissed by Ehsan Khan for 24.
His opening partner was lucky to survive a couple of tight leg-before appeals but once Babar Azam arrived at the crease, the runs started flowing freely. The right-handed batsman wasted no time in getting into his groove and was the primary aggressor with the bat while Imam played second fiddle.
Upon completing his 27th run of the day, Azam breached the 2000-run mark in ODIs and became the second fastest batsmen to do so. The 46 innings taken by the Pakistan man to reach the mark is joint-second fastest only to South Africa’s Hashim Amla who completed the feat in just 40 innings.
Azam ultimately failed to finish the job and was dismissed on 34 but Pakistan had no trouble at all in overhauling the 117-run target.
Pakistan’s Babar Azam completes 2,000 ODI runs, he is Pakistan’s joint quickest and world’s joint-second quickest to reach 2K ODI runs. Babar reached this mile stone in 45th innings.
— Faizan Lakhani (@faizanlakhani) September 16, 2018
Fastest Hashim Amla in 40 innings.
Babar, Zaheer Abbas & KP achieved 2K runs in 45 innings.
