Hong Kong one-day series: Ehsan Khan stars as hosts edge Kuwait in final
- His late wickets end Kuwait’s run-chase to clinch the trophy, a week after Hong Kong also won their home T20 series
- Coach Simon Willis says the pressure at the death will be valuable experience for Hong Kong’s young bowling attack
Ehsan Khan’s four for 39, which included three late wickets, helped Hong Kong defend 268 and scupper Kuwait’s hopes of an upset victory in the final of the APC Group One-Day Series.
Needing 35 runs to win at Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground, with four wickets in hand and a well-set duo of Bilal Tahir and Sayed Monib at the crease, Kuwait were handily poised in their run-chase.
Ehsan, however, had other ideas. The off-spinner bowled Tahir from around the wicket for 30 with a dream delivery that turned to clip his off stump, before firing in a low full toss in his next over that Sayed Monib mis-hit to Babar Hayat at long-on.
With 27 needed off 39 balls, Shahrukh Quddus walked to the crease as a concussion substitute in place of Mohammad Shafeeq, who had been stretchered off into an ambulance after colliding with his skipper Mohammad Aslam while trying to take a catch in the Hong Kong innings.
Quddus slogged Ayush Shukla over his head for six before repeating the dose over long-on. But Shukla struck off the next delivery with a quick yorker to send Quddus packing with Kuwait still requiring eight runs to win.
A pair of wides meant that Ehsan had only five runs to defend as he approached the final over of his 10. Yet the wily finger-spinner sealed the game by bowling Yasin Patel with a near-identical ball to the one that got Tahir, and set off on a celebratory run.
