Hong Kong survive Kuwait scare in opening one-day game, and coach Willis questions players’ approach
- Tail-ender Bilal Tahir hits blistering 87 to get side to within sight of target, before falling 39 runs short
- Hong Kong had earlier made 244 for seven in their 50 overs thanks to half-centuries from Anshuman Rath and Babar Hayat
Last man Bilal Tahir got Kuwait within a whisker of pulling of a surprise victory over Hong Kong on Tuesday, before falling agonisingly short in the first game of the one-day triangular series.
Chasing 245 to win, Kuwait collapsed to 110 for nine, before the tail-ender bludgeoned 87 runs from just 68 balls at Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground.
Fittingly it was Ayush Shukla, who started the Kuwait collapse, who ended Tahir’s resistance, snagging a diving catch at deep fine leg as the visitors eventually fell 39 runs short.
Earlier in the innings, Shukla’s pace had accounted for Ravija Sandaruwan and Adnan Idrees as Kuwait stumbled to 47 for three.
Meet Bhavsar then lofted Nasrulla Rana into the hands of Kinchit Shah before Rana trapped Ali Zaheer in front to further dent Kuwait’s hopes. Wickets continued to fall as Kuwait soon found themselves with one wicket remaining in the 24th over.
While Hong Kong appeared to be on the verge of a convincing victory, Tahir had other ideas and launched Kinchit Shah over his head for six before repeating the dose against Mohammad Ghazanfar in an over that went for 19.
