‘So near yet so far’ for UAE
Tail-enders turn the tide in favour of Hong Kong in Asia Cup Qualifiers final
Skipper Rohan Mustafa was left rueing the missed chances after UAE’s hopes of securing a place in the six-nation Asia Cup were shattered by Hong Kong.
The Asia Cup hosts lost the final of the Qualifiers by two wickets to Hong Kong at the Kinrara Oval in Malaysia yesterday, and along with it their dreams of playing against Asian giants India and Pakistan came to a crashing end.
Speaking to Gulf News, UAE skipper Mustafa said: “It was an instance of being so close yet so far. Disappointing to lose to lose the final.
“To be honest, you need luck but today it was against us. My boys did play well. We have to accept defeat as part of the game.”
In a rain-curtailed match, Hong Kong put UAE in to bat after winning the toss. The UAE posted 176 for 9 in the allotted 24 overs and looked set to win after reducing Hong Kong to 147 for 7 in 19.3 overs.
Some powerful hitting by Hong Kong’s tail-enders, especially Scott McKechnie (14) and Tanwir (15), ended UAE’s dreams of facing Asian giants India and Pakistan in Group A, especially in front of their home crowd.
Ashfaq shines
Hong Kong will now play in the Asia Cup with their first match scheduled on September 15 against Pakistan and September 18 against India.
The UAE had finished on top of the table in the Asia Cup Qualifier though they had lost to Hong Kong in the group stage too.
In the final, Chirag Suri and Ashfaq Ahmad put on a 54 runs for the first wicket before Suri got bowled to Tanwir Afzal for 11. In-form Mustafa lasted only eight balls before being bowled by Aizaz Khan for a duck. Khan then went on to dislodge the stumps of Rameez Shahzad for 2.
Shaiman Anwar and Ashfaq took the score to 123 through a 58-run partnership when Anwar fell for 22. Three balls later, Ashfaq, who batted brilliantly to score 79 runs off 59 balls with nine boundaries and six sixers fell. Mohammad Usman and Adnan Mufti by scoring 16 runs each guided the UAE to the challenging total.
Hong Kong chased the total through a 64-run opening partnership between Nizakat Mohammad (38) and Anshuman Rath (28). Mustafa provided the breakthrough when he bowled Mohammad while their star batsman Babar Hayat got out for just three to Amir Hayat. Meanwhile, Ahmad Raza ran out Kinchit Shah for a duck. When Raza bowled Rath for 28, Hong Kong slipped to 82 for 4.
Christopher Carter and Ehsan Khan fought hard and took Hong Kong to 135 for 5 when Shahzad’s brilliant effort ran out Carter for 33. Eleven runs later, Mustafa pulled off a spectacular diving catch to dismiss Khan for 29 runs off Naveed. When Naveed also took the wicket of Aizaz Khan for 10, it looked like the UAE’s match before McKechnie and Tanwir took the game away and won the match in 23.3 overs.
To be honest, you need luck but today it was against us. My boys did play well. We have to accept defeat as part of the game.” Rohan Mustafa » UAE captain