UAE take on Hong Kong in Asia Cup qualifier

dubai — The UAE cricket team will strive hard to be included in Asia’s biggest party in their own home when they square off against a strong Hong Kong in the Asia Cup Cricket Qualifier on Thursday.

The UAE meet Hong Kong in the final of the competition at the Kinrara Oval in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with an eye on the big prize — the Asia Cup. Whoever wins can punch their ticket for the 14th edition of the Asia Cup to be held in the UAE from September 15 to 28.

The winners will join the five ICC full members — India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan — in the tournament, which will be played for the third time in the country after 1984 and 1995.

If the UAE manage to get past the line, it will be their third appearance in Asia’s showpiece after 2004 and 2016, the latter edition played as a T20 competition in Bangladesh.

A win will not just give the UAE an entry to the competition but it will also go someway in avenging the defeat to Hong Kong during the league stage of the tournament. The UAE had failed to turn up against them, suffering a chastening 182-run loss. Hong Kong had piled 275 but the UAE couldn’t put up a semblance of a fight, mustering a paltry 93.

But that was to be the only blip in the competition as the UAE responded to that defeat in fine style. Dougie Brown’s side went on to defeat Malaysia and Oman in their remaining matches to top the table with eight points, with four wins and a loss. The UAE’s earlier victories had come against Singapore and Nepal.

There have been some bright spots along the way for the UAE, none more so than their captain Rohan Mustafa. The 29-year-old with an infectious smile, has come to the fore with his all-round showing in the competition.

Mustafa has taken nine wickets with his effective off-spin and scored 150 runs in total, so far, which includes a match-winning 71 against Oman in the previous game and 38 not out against Malaysia and a defiant 33 against Hong Kong. A man for the big occasion, Mustafa will have a big say in the final against Hong Kong.