Asia Cup 2022’s group stage will end with Pakistan taking on Hong Kong in match 6 of the Asia Cup 2022. The Men in Green will march on after losing a thriller against India that they almost clinched. Hong Kong, on the other hand, is coming into the game after losing to the Men in Blue on Wednesday (August 31).
Here’s the match preview for Friday (September 2)’s clash between Pakistan and Hong Kong:
Team News
Pakistan
The Men in Green put on a fantastic show against India, albeit their batters struggled to get off to a start. The bowling department, comprising Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf, looked strong enough to rattle the Indian top order. They will look to emulate the same on Friday (September 2) against Hong Kong. Naseem Shah’s fitness is a matter of concern for Pakistan at the moment.
Players to watch out for:
1) Babar Azam:
The Pakistan skipper has been in fantastic form in recent times but failed to spark in the first match against India. However, if he gets set, he can single-handedly take the match away from the opponent, albeit his strike rate can cause a bit of a concern at times.
2) Mohammad Rizwan:
The enthusiastic wicket-keeper scored a decent 43 off 42 balls against a fiery Indian bowling attack. He will go look to go big against the Hong Kong bowlers, who lack experience, barring Yasim Murtaza.
3) Shadab Khan:
The all-rounder is one of the most valuable assets for the Pakistan team and has been a part of the setup for a while now. His potential to pick scalps at regular intervals and hit clean strikes beyond the ropes is well known.
Predicted Playing XI: Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Babar Azam (C), Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Shadab Khan, Asif Ali, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Hasnain, Hasan Ali
Hong Kong
Hong Kong did not succumb to India’s bowling and displayed splendid courage. The team looked in fine touch, with Yasim Murtaza slowing it up with his spin bowling. Babar Hayat smashed right from ball one and the team lost only by 40 runs against strong Men in Blue.
Players to watch out for:
1) Babar Hayat:
Babar Hayat was firing the other day for Hong Kong with the bat against India and will look to do the same against Pakistan. The Pakistani bowlers cannot take the batter lightly and will have to work hard to pick up the scalp.
2) Yasim Murtaza:
The spinner troubled the Indian batters with his slow deliveries. Veteran Virat Kohli and opener KL Rahul struggled to time his ball although he went wicketless. The player can be threatening and can also amass a few runs with the bat.
3) Nizakat Khan:
The skipper will be vital with the bat for his team. His captaincy skills and batting skills must align to clinch a victory for his team against a strong team like Pakistan.
Predicted Playing XI: Nizakat Khan (C), Yasim Murtaza, Babar Hayat, Kinchit Shah, Aizaz Khan, Zeeshan Ali, Scott McKechnie, Ehsan Khan, Ayush Shukla, Mohammad Ghazanfar, Haroon Arshad.
Pitch Report:
The match will be played at Sharjah Cricket Stadium. Teams winning the toss must elect to bat first and put on a huge score at this small ground. Spinners will be the key and pacers will not get much help from the pitch.
Match Details:
Asia Cup 2022: Match 6, Pakistan vs Hong Kong
Date: 2nd September 2022
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Timing: 7:30 PM IST
Live Telecast: Star Sports Network
Live Streaming: Disney Hotstar
