Asia Cup 2018: India Avoid Scare, Struggled Against Hong Kong For Victory

Nizakat Khan and Anshuman Rath’s 174-run stand is now the associate nation’s highest partnership in ODI cricket.

Shikhar Dhawan returned to form with a brilliant 127-run knock as India registered their first win of the 2018 Asia Cup by defeating Hong Kong by 26 runs at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. Although a superb 174-run opening stand between Nizakat Khan and skipper Anshuman Rat created a bit of a panic in the Indian camp, the bowlers eventually managed to restrict Hong Kong to 259/7, avoiding a scary defeat against an associate cricketing nation.

Debutant Khaleel Ahmed impressed with figures of 3/48 while spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav shared five wickets between themselves.

1. No late hitting: The middle-order worryingly failed again. India scored just 48 runs in the last 10 overs.

2. Poor team selection: There was no balance in the pace attack. One bowler returning from injury (Bhuvi) and one on a two-month tour but hardly playing there (Shardul Thakur). Both looked rusty and bowled poorly in the first spell.

3. No bite in the spin attack: Both Indian spinners — Yuz Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav — failed to extract any fizz off the wicket. They got wickets only when the batsmen tried to force the pace

4. Shoddy fielding: Misfields galore in early innings. Chahal also dropped a sharp chance.

5. Shardul no-balls: When a medium pacer delivers three no-balls in one ODI over, what is he doing in the Indian team? He gave away 17 runs in that over.

6. Hong Kong batted well: Openers Nijakat Khan (92 off 115 balls) and Anshuman Rath (73 off 97) punched well above their weight.

Shikhar Dhawan returned to form with a brilliant 127-run knock as India registered their first win of the 2018 Asia Cup by defeating Hong Kong by 26 runs at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Tuesday. Although a superb 174-run opening stand between Nizakat Khan and skipper Anshuman Rath created a bit of a panic in the Indian camp, the bowlers eventually managed to restrict Hong Kong to 259/7, avoiding a scary defeat against an associate cricketing nation.

Debutant Khaleel Ahmed impressed with figures of 3/48 while spin duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav shared five wickets between themselves.