Hong Kong almost stunned the cricket world as they were very close to beat the high-power Indian cricket team in the Group A game of Asia Cup 2018 at Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. India just managed to claim a victory that also secured their spot for the Super Four round along with another Group A team Pakistan.

Hong Kong captain Anshuman Rath decided to field first after winning the toss. In the beginning, Indian skipper and opener Rohit Sharma provided a 45-run partnership with another opener Shikhar Dhawan. After Rohit was dismissed on 23 runs, Dhawan carried that innings with the comeback man Ambati Rayudu as both provided a solid 116-run partnership for the second wicket.

Rayudu scored 60 runs off 70 balls (3 fours and 2 sixes) while Dhawan completed a brilliant century on 105 balls and scored 127 runs off 120 balls (15 fours and 2 sixes). Dhawan had another good 79-run partnership for the third wicket with Dinesh Karthik, who scored 33 runs.

While the most of next Indian batsmen failed in the late moment, Kedar Jadhav played a crucial knock of unbeaten 28 off 27 balls (only six) that set a good total for India as they managed to score 285/7 (50 overs).

Among the Hong Kong bowlers, Kinchit Shah (3/39) got three wickets while Ehsan Khan (2/65) picked up two wickets and Ehsan Nawaz (1/50) & Aizaz Khan (1/41) picked up one wicket each.

In reply, Hong Kong had an impressive and powerful start as the openers Nizakat Khan and Anshuman Rath provided a massive 174-run partnership. Khan just missed his century as he scored 92 runs off 115 balls (12 fours and only six) while Rath scored 73 runs off 97 balls (4 fours and only six).

But once that partnership was broken in the 35th over of that innings, Hong Kong lost their next wickets in regular intervals. However, they still tried hard and reached very close but failed to chase that target successfully as they scored 259/8 at the end of 50 overs. Ehsan Khan (22) was the only other man in that innings to reach the 20-run mark.

Among the Indian bowlers, Yuzvendra Chahal (3/46) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/42) shared five wickets between themselves, while the debutant left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed (3/48) bagged three wickets.

With this victory, India advanced to the Super Four round along with another Group A team Pakistan. It means, after India-Pakistan meeting on Wednesday (September 19) in the group stage clash, they are going to meet once again in this competition in the Super Four round on this Sunday (September 23).

Meanwhile, despite Hong Kong’s journey ended in this competition, they are travelling back home with the high head and prideful heart.

Brief Scores: India – 285/7 in 50 overs (Shikhar Dhawan 127, Ambati Rayudu 60; Kinchit Shah 3/39)

Hong Kong – 259/8 in 50 overs (Nizakat Khan 92, Anshuman Rath 73; Yuzvendra Chahal 3/46)

Result – India won by 26 runs

Important stats highlights of the match:

• It was the first time ever when India played any international cricket match at Dubai.
• Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan scored his 10th ODI century outside India. Dhawan becomes the sixth Indian batsman to score 10 or more ODI centuries outside the Indian soil.
• Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan scored 127 runs. The second highest knock by an Indian opener in the Asia Cup history. The record is 135* by Sourav Ganguly against Bangladesh at Dhaka on May 30, 2000.
• Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan scored 127 runs. Third highest ODI knock by an Indian batsman in United Arab Emirates (UAE). The top two records holder is Sachin Tendulkar with the 143 and 134 runs knocks both against Australia at Sharjah in 1998.
• Hong Kong openers Nizakat Khan and Anshuman Rath provided a brilliant partnership of 174-run. It is Hong Kong’s highest ODI partnership for any wicket as the previous record was 170 between Nizakat Khan and Anshuman Rath for the fourth wicket against Scotland at Mong Kok on January 26, 2016.
• Hong Kong openers Nizakat Khan and Anshuman Rath put a brilliant 174-run partnership for the first wicket. It is the second highest ODI partnership for an Associate side against a Test playing nation (at least played one Test match). The record is 177 runs partnership between Canada batsmen Geoff Barnett and Ian Billcliff for the second wicket against Bangladesh at St. John’s on February 28, 2007.
• Hong Kong openers Nizakat Khan and Anshuman Rath put a brilliant 174-run partnership for the first wicket. It is the second highest partnership for any wicket against India in the Asia Cup history. The record is 224 runs opening partnership between the Pakistan openers Mohammad Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed at Dhaka on March 18, 2012.
• Hong Kong opener and skipper Anshuman Rath scored 73 runs. It is the second highest ODI knock by any associate members’ captain against India. The record is 75 runs by the Ireland skipper William Porterfield at Bengaluru on March 6, 2011.
• Another Hong Kong opener Nizakat Khan scored 92 runs. It is the highest ODI knock by any associate members’ player against India. The previous record was 83 runs by Maurice Odumbe (Kenya) at Gwalior on May 28, 1998.
• India won this match by 26 runs. Their lowest ODI victory (by runs) against a non-Test playing member. The previous lowest was winning by 58 runs against Kenya at Nairobi (Gym) on September 29, 1999.