Asia Cup, PAK vs HK: Preview, stats, and Fantasy XI
Pakistan face a free-spirited Hong Kong in a must-win Group A clash in Sharjah on Friday. The Men in Green head into the game post a five-wicket drubbing against arch-rivals India. Meanwhile, Asia Cup 2022 Qualifier, Hong Kong, will be hoping to pull an upset to advance further. Babar Hayat and Yasim Murtaza remain the linchpins on the batting front. Here is the preview.
Pitch report, timing, and TV listing
The Sharjah Cricket Stadium will play host to this affair. It's a good batting track with 149 as the average first innings total. Sides batting first have won 16 of 26 matches played here. Spinners could prove menacing as was visible in the last outing. The match will be telecast live on Star Sports Network (7:30 PM IST) and live-streamed on the Hotstar app.
Here's the head-to-head record in Asia Cup
Pakistan are yet to face Hong Kong in T20Is. As for the Asia Cup, Pakistan enjoy a 3-0 lead in the match-ups. Both teams crossed swords for the first time in the 2004 Asia Cup. The Men in Green had bagged a colossal 173-run triumph. Pakistan won the second and third meets by 155 runs and eight wickets in 2008 and 2018, respectively.
Pakistan eye a Super Four berth
Pakistan need a win to finish second in Group A and bag a Super Four berth. Babar Azam needs to up his scoring rate. Fakhar Zaman has the hitting prowess and should look to extend his stay, Mohammad Rizwan, who clocked a 43 in the last outing, will be aiming for another crunch show. Speedster Naseem Shah could be banked to make early inroads
Hong Kong will promise character
Hong Kong put up a spirited performance against India to win hearts. Pacer Ayush Shukla could be troublesome early on. Spinner Ehsan Khan can be solid, having picked 18 T20I scalps this year at 11.72. Batting-wise, the hopes rest on Babar Hayat, who slammed 41 in the last game. Openers Yasim Murtaza and skipper Nizakat Khan need to fire all cylinders.
A look at the probable XI of both sides
Pakistan (probable XI): Babar Azam (c), Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Khushdil Shah, Asif Ali, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf, Shahnawaz Dahani. Hong Kong (probable XI): Nizakat Khan (c), Yasim Murtaza, Babar Hayat, Kinchit Shah, Aizaz Khan, Scott McKechnie (wk), Zeeshan Ali, Haroon Arshad, Ehsan Khan, Ayush Shukla, Mohammad Ghazanfar.
Here are the key performers (T20Is)
Babar Azam has amassed 2,696 runs at 44.93 (50s; 26, 100s: 1). Naseem Shah claimed 2/27 on his T20I debut against India. Overall, the right-armer has 46 T20 scalps (economy: 8.13). Fakhar Zaman has hammered 601 runs in T20s this year. He averages 37.56 (50s: 7, 100s: 1). Babar Hayat has compiled 258 runs in T20Is in 2022. He averages 36.85 (50s: 2).
Dream11 Fantasy Cricket Options
Fantasy XI (option 1):Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Hayat(vc), Nizakat Khan, Babar Azam, Fakhar Zaman (c), Yasim Murtaza, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Ehsan Khan, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf. Fantasy XI (option 2): Mohammad Rizwan (vc), Babar Hayat, Kinchit Shah, Babar Azam (c), Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Ayush Shukla, Ehsan Khan, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf.
