Pakistan Lead to Asian Games Semi-Finals Thanks to Lower-Order Heroes and Spinners

By | Bullscore 4 Oct, 2023

Pakistan had a shaky start in their cricket match, scoring only 73 runs with the loss of 6 wickets. However, their lower-order batsmen managed to rescue the situation, helping them reach a strong total of 160 runs. Then, Pakistan’s spin bowlers performed exceptionally well and managed to dismiss the Hong Kong team for just 92 runs, securing a spot in the semi-finals of the Asian Games in Hangzhou.

Initially, Hong Kong chose to bowl and made good use of the new ball. Ayush Shukla took early wickets, getting rid of Mirza Baig and Rohail Nazir within the first three overs. Haider Ali was also dismissed in the following over. Captain Qasim Akram and opener Omair Yousuf tried to stabilize the innings and got past the 50-run mark, but Qasim Akram was caught in the ninth over while trying to hit a boundary. Soon after, Younus was bowled out by Anas Khan for 21 runs, leaving Pakistan struggling at 54 for 5.

Asif Ali then built partnerships with Khushdil Shah and Arafat Minhas, contributing to a total score of over 100 runs. Asif Ali’s wicket fell for 25 runs with 22 balls remaining in the innings, but the ninth batsman, Aamer Jamal, played an explosive innings, scoring 41 runs off just 16 balls. This helped Pakistan reach a total of 160 runs, with 49 runs coming in the last three overs, including 26 runs in the final over.

When it was Hong Kong’s turn to bat, Pakistan’s bowlers made an impressive start. Arafat Minhas took two wickets during the powerplay, but Hong Kong’s No. 3 batsman, Babar Hayat, kept them in the game by maintaining a run rate of nearly six runs per over until the halfway mark. However, Khushdil Shah managed to dismiss him for 29 runs, and from there, Hong Kong’s batting lineup collapsed, losing six wickets for just nine runs. They went from being at 54 for 2 to 63 for 8. Khushdil Shah took 3 wickets for 13 runs, and Arafat Minhas, Sufiyan Muqeem, and Qasim Akram each took two wickets, ultimately bowling out Hong Kong in 18.5 overs.

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