Hong Kong confirmed it’s position in the ACC Twenty20 Cup semifinals and the Twenty20 World Cup Qualifiers next year outplaying Kuwait at the TU Ground.
Hong Kong was required to defeat Kuwait in 16.3 overs, after Kuwait scored 130/9, to ensure the qualification ahead of Nepal on better net run rate and they did the job in 14.5 overs.
Kuwait elected to bat first and put up 130/9 in 20 overs. Mohammed Asghar scored 34 runs off 22 balls hitting two boundaries and three sixes.
Azmatullah Nazeer added 28 runs off 29 balls. Munir Dar, Nadeem Ahmed, Irfan Ahmed and Nizakat Khan took two wickets each for Hong Kong.
Kuwait gave ordinary performance in bowling and fielding. They bowled without enthusiasm, and gave away too many weak deliveries.
Jamie Atkinson scored unbeaten 41 runs off 29 balls hitting five boundaries. Man-of-the-match Munir Dar added 39 runs off 29 balls as he struck two boundaries and four sixes to guide Hong Kong to the semifinal.
Malaysia keep semis hope alive
Malaysia defeated Bhutan by 112 runs at the IOE Ground to keep their semifinal hope alive.
Malaysia elected to bat first and put up 191/6 in 20 overs. Man-of-the-match Hammad Ullah Khan scored 51 runs off 28 balls with nine boundaries.
Suharril Fetri scored 49 runs off 30 balls while Suhan Kumar struck 31 runs off 22 balls and Suresh Navaratnam added 27 runs off 19 balls.
Malaysia keeps semifinal hopes alive with a win. Photo by PhotoEverest.com
Sonam Tobgay took two wickets while Tandin Wangchuk, Phuntsho Wangdi, Suprit Pradhan and Dampo Dorji claimed a wicket each.
Chasing a big total, Bhutan was all out for 79 runs in 19.2 overs. Kumar Subba (18 runs off 28 balls) and Thinley Jamtsho (16 runs off 13 balls) were major contributors for Bhutan. Norwira Zazmie took three wickets while Abdul Rashid claimed a wicket for Malaysia.
Malaysia has four points from four matches and remains on the third position. Oman, which will take on Maldives on Thursday in the last group stage match, also has four points and second position with superior net run rates.
Malaysia has chance of qualifying only if Oman lose Thursday´s match by huge margin.
Maldives has two points from three matches while Bhutan is at the bottom without any win.
Afghanistan thrash Maldives
Afghanistan is on the top of the group table with eight points from four matches as it thrashed Maldives by 62 runs.
Maldives invited Afghanistan to bat first. Afghanistan put up 157/8 as Shabir Noori scored 76 runs off 50 balls.
Shabir Noori scored 76 runs off 50 balls for big Afghan victory over Maldives. Photo by PhotoEverest.com
Man-of-the-match Noori struck nine boundaries and two sixes. Karim Sadiq scored 26 runs off 22 balls. Ahmed Faiz took three wickets while Moosa Kaleem and Mohammed Mahfooz claimed two wickets apiece.
Maldives was all out for 95 runs in 18.2 overs. Moosa Kaleem scored 45 runs off 35 balls as he struck seven boundaries and two sixes but could not take the match close.
Mohotte Jayakody (19 runs off 21 balls) and Jilwaz Rasheed (15 runs off 18 balls) were the other major contributors for Maldives. Mohammad Nabi sent four Maldivian batsmen to pavilion while Nawroz Mangal took three wickets.