ASIA CUP TEAM PREVIEW
Yasim Murtaza will hope to give Hong Kong one major scalp in the group stages. © Getty
The Asia Cup is no new frontier for Hong Kong but it has been one they haven’t been able to crack with all five of their appearances ending in first-round exits. Hong Kong confirmed their spot in this year’s competition after edging past a favoured Nepal side in the third-place playoff of the 2024 ACC Men’s Premier Cup. That was over a year ago and in the interim, winds of change have blown through Hong Kong’s setup – at least in terms of leadership. Yasim Murtaza has taken over the reins from Nizakat Khan as captain while former Sri Lankan batter Kaushal Silva has assumed the role of head coach.
Hong Kong’s leadership might’ve changed but the makeup of their squad remains familiar. Anshuman Rath has been prolific at the top of the order and averages an impressive 50.22 in nine T20Is this year. In Babar Hayat, who’s the only other batter apart from Virat Kohli to score a century in Asia Cup T20s, former skipper Nizakat Khan and current skipper Murtaza, they have a wealth of experience to dip into as well. Twenty-two year-old pacer Ayush Shukla has been making a name for himself while Ehsan Khan has been dependable with his off-breaks. As a team, they have had no shortage of cricket. Since that win against Nepal, they have played 20 T20Is and have won 10 of them. Hong Kong, therefore, arrive looking like a settled unit.
Hong Kong’s last assignment was the Asia Pacific Cricket Champions Trophy in July and they didn’t quite find success there, losing to Malaysia thrice, including in the final. But come the Asia Cup, success will be defined very differently. Success, for Hong Kong, will probably not entail lifting the trophy but causing an upset or two, and, if being optimistic, making it past the first round. Success at this level, where they go toe to toe with the big boys, might’ve been elusive for Hong Kong but should they achieve it, it has the potential to elevate their cricketing journey to a different plane.
Hong Kong squad: Babar Hayat, Martin Coetzee, Kalhan Challu, Anas Khan, Kinchit Shah, Yasim Murtaza (c), Nizakat Khan, Aizaz Khan, Anshuman Rath, Zeeshan Ali, Shahid Wasif, Nasrulla Rana, Ayush Shukla, Mohammad Wahed, Ateeq Iqbal, Ehsan Khan, Adil Mehmood, Haroon Arshad, Ali Hassan, Mohammed Ghazanfar
Probable XI:Zeeshan Ali (wk), Anshuman Rath, Babar Hayat, Nizakat Khan, Yasim Murtaza (c), Kalhan Challu, Nasrulla Rana, Ateeq Iqbal, Ehsan Khan, Ayush Shukla, Mohammad Ghazanfar/Ali Hasan
Anshuman Rath will open the batting alongside wicketkeeper Zeeshan Ali who’s been explosive at the top. The familiar faces of Babar Hayat and Nizakat Khan add substance to the middle order with skipper Yasim Murtaza to follow. Kalhan Challu brings some firepower and he’ll likely be followed by all-rounder Nasrulla Rana. Pacers Ayush Shukla and Ateeq Iqbal will round out the XI with a spot still left – likely to be claimed by spinners Mohammad Ghazanfar or Ali Hasan to aid Murtaza and Ehsan Khan on wickets in Dubai that have historically been slow and favoured spinners.
Keep an eye on:Yasim Murtaza, the new skipper. He plays a vital role in both departments, keeping things tight with his left-arm spin and forming the core of Hong Kong’s middle-order. His all-round performance, along with his captaincy, will be key to his team’s success.
Marquee Match:vs Bangladesh
Bangladesh went down to Hong Kong in the only encounter between the two sides. It came in the 2014 T20 WC and although there are no remnants from the Bangladesh side that lost 11 years ago, they’ll be looking to set the record straight.
Giant Killing potential
Sri Lanka have been poor in T20Is of late. Since last year’s T20 World Cup, they have a win percentage of just 41.18%. Further, they showed frailties in their recently concluded series against Zimbabwe – particularly in the 2nd T20I where they were shot out for just 80. If there’s a big scalp on offer, Sri Lanka look the likeliest.
Group Stage schedule
Sep 9 – Afghanistan vs Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi
Sep 11 – Bangladesh vs Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi
Sep 15 – Sri Lanka vs Hong Kong, Dubai
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