LAHORE: The touring Hong Kong cricket team crashed to its third successive defeat, as it was beaten by a big 187 runs margin by Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), here at the Bagh-e-Jinnah Ground on Wednesday.
After being beaten in the first two matches by Lahore City Cricket Association (LCCA) and Lahore Country Club Academy, Hong Kong saw WAPDA bat first after winning the toss. The home team rattled up a score of 257 for eight in the allotted fifty overs.
In reply, Hong Kong were routed for a poor total of 70 runs in a matter of 31 overs. Right-arm medium-fast bowler Azam Khan was almost unplayable with figures of four wickets for 17 runs in eight overs.
Opening batsman Ashfaq Ahmed top-scored for WAPDA with 75 runs off just 78 balls with 11 fours and a six. With Khaqan Arsal, who made 37 off 65 deliveries with two fours and a six, Ashfaq helped add an exact 100 runs for the second wicket.
Skipper Jahangir Mirza later hit 63 runs off 69 balls that included five fours and two sixes. For Hong Kong, slow left-armer Nadeem Ahmed captured three wickets for 53 runs in his 10 overs while Munir Ahmed, also a left-arm spinner, got three for 35 in his 10.
Only two batsmen got into double figures in the Hong Kong reply, Munir Ahmed making 18 (off seven balls with a four and two sixes) and Afzaal Haider 13 at number 10.
Apart from Azam Khan, the successful bowlers for WAPDA were slow left-armer Mustafa Iqbal, who took three wickets for six runs in nine overs of which five were maidens. Off-spinner Nazir Ahmed chipped in with 2-34 in eight overs.
The Hong Kong team has arrived in Pakistan to play five practice limited overs matches here, in preparation for the Asia Cup competition being held in this country from June 24 onwards.
Hong Kong are one of the two ICC associate member nations in the Asia Cup tournament — the other one being United Arab Emirates (UAE). Hong Kong are placed in Group B with hosts Pakistan and India.
Their next match on the current Pakistan tour is against Faisalabad in Faisalabad on Friday (tomorrow). The last game will be played against Punjab University at the PU New Campus Ground Lahore on Saturday.
