Mohammad Rizwan propelled Pakistan into the Asia Cup Super Four stage after their bowlers skittled out minnows Hong Kong for a record low of 38 on Friday.

Pakistan scored 193-2 in a must-win Twenty20 international with Rizwan (78 not out) and Fakhar Zaman (53) putting on 116 after being invited to bat first on a slow and low Sharjah pitch.

Pakistan spinners Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz then shared seven wickets to bundle out Hong Kong in just 10.4 overs and win by 155 runs.

It was Hong Kong's lowest T20 international total after their 69 against Nepal in 2014 and also their lowest against Pakistan, who had bowled out West Indies for 60 in 2018.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/businessmen-to-delivery-boys-hong-kong-cricketers-shine-on-big-stage-512419" hreflang="en">Businessmen to delivery boys: Hong Kong cricketers shine on big stage</a>

Pakistan join Afghanistan, India and Sri Lanka in round two of the six-nation tournament that acts as a tune-up to the T20 World Cup in October-November in Australia.

Pace bowler Naseem Shah struck twice in the third over of the Hong Kong innings, including the wicket of skipper Nizakat Khan for eight.

Hong Kong, who made the main draw by winning all their three matches in the qualifiers, could not recover.

Shadab returned with figures of 4-8 from his leg spin and Nawaz took three wickets with his left-arm orthodox.

Earlier, Khushdil Shah hit five sixes, including four in the final over, to finish with a flourish in his unbeaten 35 off 15 balls as Rizwan watched the blitz from the non-striker's end in a partnership of 64.

Hong Kong's bowlers kept the Pakistan openers in check with a disciplined line and length and spinner Ehsan Khan got the key wicket of skipper Babar Azam for nine in the third over.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/watch-babar-azam-sent-packing-with-quick-return-catch-from-hong-kongs-ehsan-khan-512486" hreflang="en">Watch: Babar Azam sent packing with quick return catch from Hong Kong’s Ehsan Khan</a>

Azam hit a four off Ehsan's off spin but the bowler soon took revenge with a caught and bowled to silence a pro-Pakistan crowd. The left-handed Fakhar joined Rizwan, a wicketkeeper-batsman, and the two rebuilt the innings. Rizwan reached his fifty off 42 balls to raise the bat amid raucous applause form the crowd.

Fakhar also changed gears and reached his fifty with a towering six off Murtaza's left-arm spin, but got out next over to Ehsan after a 41-ball stay. Khushdil then tore into the opposition bowling and ended the innings with three successive sixes.

Afghanistan will meet Sri Lanka in the Super Four opener on Saturday in Sharjah while India clash with rivals Pakistan for the second time in the tournament on Sunday.

Mohammad Rizwan propelled Pakistan into the Asia Cup Super Four stage after their bowlers skittled out minnows Hong Kong for a record low of 38 on Friday. Pakistan scored 193-2 in a must-win Twenty20 international with Rizwan (78 not out) and Fakhar Zaman (53) putting on 116 after being invited to bat first on a slow and low Sharjah pitch.

Mohammad Rizwan propelled Pakistan into the Asia Cup Super Four stage after their bowlers skittled out minnows Hong Kong for a record low of 38 on Friday. Pakistan scored 193-2 in a must-win Twenty20 international with Rizwan (78 not out) and Fakhar Zaman (53) putting on 116 after being invited to bat first on a slow and low Sharjah pitch. Pakistan spinners Shadab Khan and Mohammad Nawaz then shared seven wickets to bundle out Hong Kong in just 10.4 overs and win by 155 runs. It was Hong Kong's lowest T20 international total after their 69 against Nepal in 2014 and also their lowest against Pakistan, who had bowled out West Indies for 60 in 2018. ALSO READ: Businessmen to delivery boys: Hong Kong cricketers shine on big stage Pakistan join Afghanistan, India and Sri Lanka in round two of the six-nation tournament that acts as a tune-up to the T20 World Cup in October-November in Australia. Pace bowler Naseem Shah struck twice in the third over of the Hong Kong innings, including the wicket of skipper Nizakat Khan for eight. Hong Kong, who made the main draw by winning all their three matches in the qualifiers, could not recover. Shadab returned with figures of 4-8 from his leg spin and Nawaz took three wickets with his left-arm orthodox. Earlier, Khushdil Shah hit five sixes, including four in the final over, to finish with a flourish in his unbeaten 35 off 15 balls as Rizwan watched the blitz from the non-striker's end in a partnership of 64. Hong Kong's bowlers kept the Pakistan openers in check with a disciplined line and length and spinner Ehsan Khan got the key wicket of skipper Babar Azam for nine in the third over. ALSO READ: Watch: Babar Azam sent packing with quick return catch from Hong Kong’s Ehsan Khan Azam hit a four off Ehsan's off spin but the bowler soon took revenge with a caught and bowled to silence a pro-Pakistan crowd. The left-handed Fakhar joined Rizwan, a wicketkeeper-batsman, and the two rebuilt the innings. Rizwan reached his fifty off 42 balls to raise the bat amid raucous applause form the crowd. Fakhar also changed gears and reached his fifty with a towering six off Murtaza's left-arm spin, but got out next over to Ehsan after a 41-ball stay. Khushdil then tore into the opposition bowling and ended the innings with three successive sixes. Afghanistan will meet Sri Lanka in the Super Four opener on Saturday in Sharjah while India clash with rivals Pakistan for the second time in the tournament on Sunday.

Asia Cup 2022: Pakistan thrash Hong Kong by 155 runs, storm into Super Four

Hong Kong spinner Ehsan Khan dented Pakistan's chances of victory by taking out their star batsman and skipper Babar Azam with a jaw-dropping return catch in the initial stages of their Asia Cup clash.

He bolstered his team's chances&nbsp;of emerging victorious from this matchup as he picked up a low catch to send Azam, who merely managed to record&nbsp;9 off 8 deliveries, on his way.&nbsp;The fact that it was Khan himself who bowled the ball that led to the wicket makes the feat all the more impressive.&nbsp;

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*💥 WICKET:* 🎯 🎳 Pakistan 🇵🇰 13/1 (2.5/20 ov, lost the toss) v Hong Kong 🇭🇰 
Babar Azam c &amp; b Ehsan Khan 9 (8) 
Ehsan Khan 0.5-0-6-1 🔰 <a href="https://t.co/eRoIADXWiA">pic.twitter.com/eRoIADXWiA</a>
— Muhammad Irfan (@Muhamma04263819) <a href="https://twitter.com/Muhamma04263819/status/1565710397768105984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 2022</a></blockquote>
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ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/huge-blow-for-india-as-ravindra-jadeja-ruled-out-of-asia-cup-2022-axar-patel-named-replacement-512390" hreflang="en">Huge blow for India as Ravindra Jadeja ruled out of Asia Cup 2022, Axar Patel named replacement</a>

Although Azam entered the tournament hot on the heels of a series of impressive performances and red-hot form. However, he has failed to replicate the same success in furthering his team's cause in the tournament.

Azam was only able to put 10 runs on the board in Pakistan's opening clash against arch-rivals India before he was forced to chart a course back to the stands courtesy of India's veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Arshdeep Singh pitching in with a fine catch.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/businessmen-to-delivery-boys-hong-kong-cricketers-shine-on-big-stage-512419" hreflang="en">Businessmen to delivery boys: Hong Kong cricketers shine on big stage</a>

However, Ehsan's efforts were just not enough for Hong Kong to overcome the challenge presented by Pakistan as the Men in Green eventually went on to emerge triumphant as The Shaheens' bowlers managed to bowl Hong Kong out for a mere 38 runs, sprinting away with a 155 run victory.

With this victory, Pakistan consolidated their position in the Super Four alongside former foes and nemeses India. Having trudged through a some&nbsp;unflattering performances in the ongoing Asia Cup, Babar Azam and his band of speedsters will hope to turn the tables on their fortune with their stunning performance against Hong Kong at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.&nbsp;

Hong Kong spinner Ehsan Khan dented Pakistan's chances of victory by taking out their star batsman and skipper Babar Azam with a jaw-dropping return catch in the initial stages of their Asia Cup clash.

Hong Kong spinner Ehsan Khan dented Pakistan's chances of victory by taking out their star batsman and skipper Babar Azam with a jaw-dropping return catch in the initial stages of their Asia Cup clash. He bolstered his team's chances of emerging victorious from this matchup as he picked up a low catch to send Azam, who merely managed to record 9 off 8 deliveries, on his way. The fact that it was Khan himself who bowled the ball that led to the wicket makes the feat all the more impressive. *💥 WICKET:* 🎯 🎳 Pakistan 🇵🇰 13/1 (2.5/20 ov, lost the toss) v Hong Kong 🇭🇰 Babar Azam c & b Ehsan Khan 9 (8) Ehsan Khan 0.5-0-6-1 🔰 pic.twitter.com/eRoIADXWiA — Muhammad Irfan (@Muhamma04263819) September 2, 2022 × ALSO READ: Huge blow for India as Ravindra Jadeja ruled out of Asia Cup 2022, Axar Patel named replacement Although Azam entered the tournament hot on the heels of a series of impressive performances and red-hot form. However, he has failed to replicate the same success in furthering his team's cause in the tournament. Azam was only able to put 10 runs on the board in Pakistan's opening clash against arch-rivals India before he was forced to chart a course back to the stands courtesy of India's veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Arshdeep Singh pitching in with a fine catch. ALSO READ: Businessmen to delivery boys: Hong Kong cricketers shine on big stage However, Ehsan's efforts were just not enough for Hong Kong to overcome the challenge presented by Pakistan as the Men in Green eventually went on to emerge triumphant as The Shaheens' bowlers managed to bowl Hong Kong out for a mere 38 runs, sprinting away with a 155 run victory. With this victory, Pakistan consolidated their position in the Super Four alongside former foes and nemeses India. Having trudged through a some unflattering performances in the ongoing Asia Cup, Babar Azam and his band of speedsters will hope to turn the tables on their fortune with their stunning performance against Hong Kong at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.

Watch: Babar Azam sent packing with quick return catch from Hong Kong’s Ehsan Khan

Hong Kong batsman Kinchit Shah usually handles the family diamond business and he sparkled in a losing cause against India, studding an innings of 30 with two fours and a six in the T20 Asia Cup.

The Mumbai-born vice-captain, who proposed to his girlfriend after the match in Dubai on Wednesday, is part of an eclectic mix of pizza delivery men and university students representing Hong Kong against Asia's cricket giants in the UAE this week.&nbsp;

The talented band of expatriates have been on the road since June, culminating in a berth in the main draw of the six-nation Asia Cup after winning all three qualifying matches.&nbsp;

They lost to top-ranked India by 40 runs on Wednesday, but only after a fight in their chase of 193.

Their next match against Pakistan on Friday in Sharjah could be their last in the tournament, but skipper Nizakat Khan said they had been flooded with praise from loved ones in their adopted home.

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"We have lots of support back in Hong Kong. We have lots of messages from family and friends," said Pakistan-born Nizakat.

"It's a big learning curve for us to play against India and Pakistan. We take something out of these two games and hopefully the players learn a lot."

The team's media manager Smita Chhetri told AFP that three players, Babar Hayat, Ehsan Khan and Yasim Murtaza, have recently become fathers but have only seen their newborns on video calls. For most players in Hong Kong, cricket is not the only means of livelihood as opportunities for the national team are few and far between.

"A few of our players are doing food delivery service part time," Chhetri said. "And few of them are teachers as well as handling family businesses like Kinchit Shah."

Fast bowler Ayush Shukla, a 19-year-old university student, celebrated the wicket of India skipper Rohit Sharma with a scream and fist bumps when he got the opener caught at mid-on for 21.

The experienced Hayat top-scored with 41, Kinchit made 30, Zeeshan Ali was 26 not out and Manchester-born Scott McKechnie smacked an unbeaten 16 off eight balls as they all impressed in a rare chance to play at the highest level.

"These are the opportunities for individuals as well," said Nizakat, adding his team were making the most of their time at the Asia Cup by picking the brains of world-class Pakistani cricketers.

"We have players that can play franchise cricket and this is the time they can show how good they are."

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/huge-blow-for-india-as-ravindra-jadeja-ruled-out-of-asia-cup-2022-axar-patel-named-replacement-512390">Huge blow for India as Ravindra Jadeja ruled out of Asia Cup 2022, Axar Patel named replacement</a>

Nizakat, 30, an all-rounder who bowls leg-spin, is one of several players from Pakistan's Punjab region who found their way into the Hong Kong national team.

Ehsan Khan, who once represented the city of Rawalpindi in Pakistan, returned final qualifier man-of-the-match figures of 4-24 with his off-spin. Hong Kong are coached by former Ireland fast bowler Trent Johnston, who said they deserved their place in the top-tier tournament.

"They believe in themselves," he said.&nbsp;

"They go out there and execute their plans, play positive cricket and I think it's a great opportunity for the world to see how good at cricket Hong Kong is."&nbsp; 
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Hong Kong batsman Kinchit Shah usually handles the family diamond business and he sparkled in a losing cause against India, studding an innings of 30 with two fours and a six in the T20 Asia Cup.

Hong Kong batsman Kinchit Shah usually handles the family diamond business and he sparkled in a losing cause against India, studding an innings of 30 with two fours and a six in the T20 Asia Cup. The Mumbai-born vice-captain, who proposed to his girlfriend after the match in Dubai on Wednesday, is part of an eclectic mix of pizza delivery men and university students representing Hong Kong against Asia's cricket giants in the UAE this week. The talented band of expatriates have been on the road since June, culminating in a berth in the main draw of the six-nation Asia Cup after winning all three qualifying matches. They lost to top-ranked India by 40 runs on Wednesday, but only after a fight in their chase of 193. Their next match against Pakistan on Friday in Sharjah could be their last in the tournament, but skipper Nizakat Khan said they had been flooded with praise from loved ones in their adopted home. Also Read: Bangladesh-Sri Lanka rivalry is like India vs Pakistan, says Sri Lanka batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa "We have lots of support back in Hong Kong. We have lots of messages from family and friends," said Pakistan-born Nizakat. "It's a big learning curve for us to play against India and Pakistan. We take something out of these two games and hopefully the players learn a lot." The team's media manager Smita Chhetri told AFP that three players, Babar Hayat, Ehsan Khan and Yasim Murtaza, have recently become fathers but have only seen their newborns on video calls. For most players in Hong Kong, cricket is not the only means of livelihood as opportunities for the national team are few and far between. "A few of our players are doing food delivery service part time," Chhetri said. "And few of them are teachers as well as handling family businesses like Kinchit Shah." Fast bowler Ayush Shukla, a 19-year-old university student, celebrated the wicket of India skipper Rohit Sharma with a scream and fist bumps when he got the opener caught at mid-on for 21. The experienced Hayat top-scored with 41, Kinchit made 30, Zeeshan Ali was 26 not out and Manchester-born Scott McKechnie smacked an unbeaten 16 off eight balls as they all impressed in a rare chance to play at the highest level. "These are the opportunities for individuals as well," said Nizakat, adding his team were making the most of their time at the Asia Cup by picking the brains of world-class Pakistani cricketers. "We have players that can play franchise cricket and this is the time they can show how good they are." Also Read: Huge blow for India as Ravindra Jadeja ruled out of Asia Cup 2022, Axar Patel named replacement Nizakat, 30, an all-rounder who bowls leg-spin, is one of several players from Pakistan's Punjab region who found their way into the Hong Kong national team. Ehsan Khan, who once represented the city of Rawalpindi in Pakistan, returned final qualifier man-of-the-match figures of 4-24 with his off-spin. Hong Kong are coached by former Ireland fast bowler Trent Johnston, who said they deserved their place in the top-tier tournament. "They believe in themselves," he said. "They go out there and execute their plans, play positive cricket and I think it's a great opportunity for the world to see how good at cricket Hong Kong is."

Businessmen to delivery boys: Hong Kong cricketers shine on big stage

With his most recent Asia Cup outing, in which he showed glimpses of his old self, Virat Kohli made his way into the T20I record books as he became the player with the highest average in the shortest format of the game.

He managed to accomplish the feat during India's Group A clash against Hong Kong at the Dubai International Stadium. He built an extremely interesting partnership with Suryakumar Yadav, personally putting&nbsp;59* runs on the board off of 44 balls. He stormed to this score, bagging&nbsp;one four and three sixes.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/did-you-think-of-matching-yuvraj-singhs-six-sixes-feat-suryakumar-yadav-gives-epic-reply-to-virat-kohli-512083" hreflang="en">'Did you think of matching Yuvraj Singh's six sixes feat?' Suryakumar Yadav gives epic reply to Virat Kohli</a>

Kohli has scored 3,402 runs in the T20I format at an average of 50.77 over the course of 101 matches, effectively becoming the player with the highest average in this format. He did so by surpassing Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan, who boasts of an average of 50.14, which he has consolidated across 57 matches.&nbsp;

In addition, Kohli also recently equalled yet another record that is held by his teammate and skipper, Rohit Sharma, for the highest number of 50-plus scores in the T20I format, by upping his tally to&nbsp;31. Of these half centuries, his best score to date has been that of 94*.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharmas-india-register-most-t20i-wins-in-a-calendar-year-after-going-past-hong-kong-in-asia-cup-2022-512106" hreflang="en">Rohit Sharma's India register most T20I wins in a calendar year after going past Hong Kong in Asia Cup 2022</a>

Despite this recent slew of successes on the pitch, Kohli is yet to bring an end to a lengthy century drought that has plagued him for over a thousand days. This drought, in addition to a series of disappointing performances, prompted a clear break from the sport, which came to an end just before the start of the Asia Cup.

Since his return to active contention, Kohli has repeatedly asserted that his vigour and desire to perform well on the pitch have been renewed. While an international ton still eludes him, based on his recent performances, he is certainly well on his way to bagging it sooner rather than later.

With his most recent Asia Cup outing, in which he showed glimpses of his old self, Virat Kohli made his way into the T20I record books as he became the player with the highest average in the shortest format of the game.

With his most recent Asia Cup outing, in which he showed glimpses of his old self, Virat Kohli made his way into the T20I record books as he became the player with the highest average in the shortest format of the game. He managed to accomplish the feat during India's Group A clash against Hong Kong at the Dubai International Stadium. He built an extremely interesting partnership with Suryakumar Yadav, personally putting 59* runs on the board off of 44 balls. He stormed to this score, bagging one four and three sixes. ALSO READ: 'Did you think of matching Yuvraj Singh's six sixes feat?' Suryakumar Yadav gives epic reply to Virat Kohli Kohli has scored 3,402 runs in the T20I format at an average of 50.77 over the course of 101 matches, effectively becoming the player with the highest average in this format. He did so by surpassing Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan, who boasts of an average of 50.14, which he has consolidated across 57 matches. In addition, Kohli also recently equalled yet another record that is held by his teammate and skipper, Rohit Sharma, for the highest number of 50-plus scores in the T20I format, by upping his tally to 31. Of these half centuries, his best score to date has been that of 94*. ALSO READ: Rohit Sharma's India register most T20I wins in a calendar year after going past Hong Kong in Asia Cup 2022 Despite this recent slew of successes on the pitch, Kohli is yet to bring an end to a lengthy century drought that has plagued him for over a thousand days. This drought, in addition to a series of disappointing performances, prompted a clear break from the sport, which came to an end just before the start of the Asia Cup. Since his return to active contention, Kohli has repeatedly asserted that his vigour and desire to perform well on the pitch have been renewed. While an international ton still eludes him, based on his recent performances, he is certainly well on his way to bagging it sooner rather than later.

Virat Kohli bags impressive T20I record following inspiring performance against Hong Kong in Asia Cup

&nbsp;Suryakumar Yadav`s blistering 68*, Virat Kohli`s 59* and Ravindra Jadeja`s quick fielding helped India secure direct qualification to the Super Four phase of the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 after beating Hong Kong by 40 runs here at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

India outplayed Hong Kong in all departments and also became the second team to qualify for the Super four. Chasing 193, Hong Kong got off to a bad start after their opening batter Yasim Murtaza lost his wicket.

After getting hit for two fours, Arshdeep Singh gave Team India their first breakthrough in the form of Yasim Murtaza`s wicket, which was caught by Avesh Khan. In the third over of the innings, Babar Hayat scored a six on the delivery of Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Nizakat Khan was run out by Ravindra Jadeja after scoring 10 runs in 12 deliveries.

The spinning duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja delivered fantastically and did not allow Hong Kong bowlers to score big runs in the innings. After 10 overs, Hong Kong`s score read 65/2. Kinchit Shah tried to play some big shots and slammed a four on the delivery of Chahal to ease the pressure from his team.

Jadeja gave his team a much-needed wicket as he dismissed Babar Hayat, who smashed 41 runs in 35 deliveries. Aizaz Khan smashed a boundary and a six on Avesh Khan`s deliveries. Kinchit Shah started the 14th over with a four on Arshdeep Singh`s ball.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/icc-panel-level-fine-on-india-and-pakistan-for-slow-over-rate-in-asia-cup-encounter-511815" hreflang="en">ICC panel level fines on India and Pakistan for slow over-rate in Asia Cup encounter</a>

Hong Kong team suffered another blow as Avesh Khan perfectly bowled out Aizaz Khan after scoring 14 in 13 balls. Virat Kohli delivered a superb over as he conceded only 6 runs without getting smashed for any big hits. Bhuvneshwar Kumar gave another blow to Hong Kong as he sent Kinchit Shah back into the hut after scoring 30 runs in 28 balls.

Zeeshan Ali slammed a six and Scott McKechnie in red-hot form hammered a six and back-to-back two fours on the delivery of Avesh Khan in the 19th over of the innings. In the last over, Zeeshan Ali slammed back-to-back two fours against Arshdeep Singh, but failed to take his team home and suffered a 40-run defeat against India.

Earlier, Virat Kohli`s much-anticipated fifty and Suryakumar Yadav`s blistering 68* guided India to 192/2 against Hong Kong. Kohli smashed an unbeaten 59 while Suryakumar scored 68* to guide India to a challenging total. For Hong Kong, Mohammad Ghazanfar and Ayush Shukla bagged one wicket each.

Put to bat first, India got off to a flying start as their openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul hammered Hong Kong bowlers for 38 runs in under five overs. Rohit`s stint was cut short as he fell prey to Hong Kong`s Ayush Shukla`s delivery after scoring 21 runs in 13 balls. The Indian skipper mistimed his shot and was caught at mid-off.

The loss of the captain`s wicket invited Virat Kohli, who played every ball with caution and kept rotating the strike. Rahul shifted the gears and smashed the ball on the stands with a marvellous six on Aizaz Khan`s delivery.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/rohit-sharma-makes-t20i-history-becomes-the-first-player-to-reach-3500-runs-511866" hreflang="en">Rohit Sharma makes T20I history, becomes the first player to reach 3500 runs</a>

Kohli then joined Rahul in thrashing the bowlers and smashed his first boundary of the night of Mohammad Ghazanfar`s delivery. After 10 overs, the duo of Rahul and Kohli took India`s total to 70-1. In the 11th over of the game, Hong Kong bowlers restricted India from scoring big shots.

Mohammad Ghazanfar gave India a big blow as he dismissed KL Rahul, who scored 36 runs in 39 deliveries. His knock included two sixes. The hard-hitting batter Suryakumar Yadav entered the crease and scored back-to-back two fours of Yasim Murtaza`s bowling to ease the pressure on the Indian team.

With some blistering shots by Suryakumar, team India ended the 14th over with 107 runs on the board and a loss of two wickets. In the 16th over of the innings, Suryakumar smashed back to back six and a four. He continued the form and in the 18th over, he hammered perfect back-to-back two fours and a six of the deliveries of Ayush Shukla.

In the 19th over of the innings, Kohli brought up his much-anticipated half-century. It came in 40 balls by slamming a perfect maximum on the ball of Ehsan Khan. In the last over, Suryakumar slammed back-to-back three sixes followed by another six while also bringing up his half-century in 22 balls.&nbsp;Hong Kongs`s Haroon Arshad was hammered for 26 runs and India posted 192/2 on in 20 overs.

Brief score: India 192/2 (Suryakumar Yadav 68*, Virat Kohli 59*; Mohammad Ghazanfar 1-19) vs Hong Kong (Babar Hayat 41, Kinchit Shah 30; Ravindra Jadeja 1-15).

Suryakumar Yadav`s blistering 68*, Virat Kohli`s 59* and Ravindra Jadeja`s quick fielding helped India secure direct qualification to the Super Four phase of the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 after beating Hong Kong by 40 runs here at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.

Suryakumar Yadav`s blistering 68*, Virat Kohli`s 59* and Ravindra Jadeja`s quick fielding helped India secure direct qualification to the Super Four phase of the ongoing Asia Cup 2022 after beating Hong Kong by 40 runs here at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday. India outplayed Hong Kong in all departments and also became the second team to qualify for the Super four. Chasing 193, Hong Kong got off to a bad start after their opening batter Yasim Murtaza lost his wicket. After getting hit for two fours, Arshdeep Singh gave Team India their first breakthrough in the form of Yasim Murtaza`s wicket, which was caught by Avesh Khan. In the third over of the innings, Babar Hayat scored a six on the delivery of Bhuvneshwar Kumar. Nizakat Khan was run out by Ravindra Jadeja after scoring 10 runs in 12 deliveries. The spinning duo of Yuzvendra Chahal and Ravindra Jadeja delivered fantastically and did not allow Hong Kong bowlers to score big runs in the innings. After 10 overs, Hong Kong`s score read 65/2. Kinchit Shah tried to play some big shots and slammed a four on the delivery of Chahal to ease the pressure from his team. Jadeja gave his team a much-needed wicket as he dismissed Babar Hayat, who smashed 41 runs in 35 deliveries. Aizaz Khan smashed a boundary and a six on Avesh Khan`s deliveries. Kinchit Shah started the 14th over with a four on Arshdeep Singh`s ball. ALSO READ: ICC panel level fines on India and Pakistan for slow over-rate in Asia Cup encounter Hong Kong team suffered another blow as Avesh Khan perfectly bowled out Aizaz Khan after scoring 14 in 13 balls. Virat Kohli delivered a superb over as he conceded only 6 runs without getting smashed for any big hits. Bhuvneshwar Kumar gave another blow to Hong Kong as he sent Kinchit Shah back into the hut after scoring 30 runs in 28 balls. Zeeshan Ali slammed a six and Scott McKechnie in red-hot form hammered a six and back-to-back two fours on the delivery of Avesh Khan in the 19th over of the innings. In the last over, Zeeshan Ali slammed back-to-back two fours against Arshdeep Singh, but failed to take his team home and suffered a 40-run defeat against India. Earlier, Virat Kohli`s much-anticipated fifty and Suryakumar Yadav`s blistering 68* guided India to 192/2 against Hong Kong. Kohli smashed an unbeaten 59 while Suryakumar scored 68* to guide India to a challenging total. For Hong Kong, Mohammad Ghazanfar and Ayush Shukla bagged one wicket each. Put to bat first, India got off to a flying start as their openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul hammered Hong Kong bowlers for 38 runs in under five overs. Rohit`s stint was cut short as he fell prey to Hong Kong`s Ayush Shukla`s delivery after scoring 21 runs in 13 balls. The Indian skipper mistimed his shot and was caught at mid-off. The loss of the captain`s wicket invited Virat Kohli, who played every ball with caution and kept rotating the strike. Rahul shifted the gears and smashed the ball on the stands with a marvellous six on Aizaz Khan`s delivery. ALSO READ: Rohit Sharma makes T20I history, becomes the first player to reach 3500 runs Kohli then joined Rahul in thrashing the bowlers and smashed his first boundary of the night of Mohammad Ghazanfar`s delivery. After 10 overs, the duo of Rahul and Kohli took India`s total to 70-1. In the 11th over of the game, Hong Kong bowlers restricted India from scoring big shots. Mohammad Ghazanfar gave India a big blow as he dismissed KL Rahul, who scored 36 runs in 39 deliveries. His knock included two sixes. The hard-hitting batter Suryakumar Yadav entered the crease and scored back-to-back two fours of Yasim Murtaza`s bowling to ease the pressure on the Indian team. With some blistering shots by Suryakumar, team India ended the 14th over with 107 runs on the board and a loss of two wickets. In the 16th over of the innings, Suryakumar smashed back to back six and a four. He continued the form and in the 18th over, he hammered perfect back-to-back two fours and a six of the deliveries of Ayush Shukla. In the 19th over of the innings, Kohli brought up his much-anticipated half-century. It came in 40 balls by slamming a perfect maximum on the ball of Ehsan Khan. In the last over, Suryakumar slammed back-to-back three sixes followed by another six while also bringing up his half-century in 22 balls. Hong Kongs`s Haroon Arshad was hammered for 26 runs and India posted 192/2 on in 20 overs. Brief score: India 192/2 (Suryakumar Yadav 68*, Virat Kohli 59*; Mohammad Ghazanfar 1-19) vs Hong Kong (Babar Hayat 41, Kinchit Shah 30; Ravindra Jadeja 1-15).

Asia Cup: India seal Super Four spot with decisive victory against Hong Kong

After defeating arch-rivals Pakistan by five wickets in their opening encounter on Sunday (August 28), India will take on Hong Kong in their next match on Wednesday. The Men in Blue will be looking to continue their winning run in the tournament after a brilliant start against Pakistan.

Ahead of their all-important clash against India, Hong Kong captain&nbsp;Nizakat Khan has backed Virat Kohli to bounce back to form and has admitted he is a huge fan of the former India skipper. Kohli has endured a lean patch for India across formats for a while now but looked in decent touch in the game against Pakistan.

Khan mentioned how Kohli scored some crucial runs against Pakistan on Sunday and said he really wants to see the superstar batter score big runs in the tournament. Kohli played some brilliant strokes en route to his 35 off 34 balls laced with three fours and one six against Pakistan.

"I am a big fan of Virat Kohli, he played well against Pakistan, we really want him to come back in form &amp; score lots of runs," Khan told&nbsp;News 24 Sports.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/hardik-pandya-has-become-like-ms-dhoni-should-lead-india-in-future-harbhajan-singh-511567">Hardik Pandya has become like MS Dhoni, should lead India in future: Harbhajan Singh</a>

In their last meeting against India at the Asia Cup in 2018, Hong Kong produced an epic fight to nearly pull off an upset against Rohit Sharma's men. Hong Kong restricted India to 285/7 in 50 overs, bowling first before openers Khan (92) and Anshuman Rath (73) took the Indian bowlers to the cleaners.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/those-shots-were-not-necessary-sunil-gavaskar-criticises-kohli-rohits-performance-against-pakistan-511494">'Those shots were not necessary': Sunil Gavaskar criticises Kohli, Rohit's performance against Pakistan</a>

The duo posted a massive 174-run stand for the first wicket and took Hong Kong close to victory. However, they ended up falling short by 26 runs in the end to lose the game. Khan is expecting a similar performance from the team once again this time around.

"We lost by just 20 (26) runs when we last faced India at the Asia Cup in 2018. Anything can happen in a T20 game. You don't when a bowler can deliver a good spell, or a batter hits some quick runs in a couple of overs," said Khan.

"We have seen in the past too how even the top sides have lost against associate teams. We will go with positive body language and will stick to our process," he added.

After defeating arch-rivals Pakistan by five wickets in their opening encounter on Sunday (August 28), India will take on Hong Kong in their next match on Wednesday.

After defeating arch-rivals Pakistan by five wickets in their opening encounter on Sunday (August 28), India will take on Hong Kong in their next match on Wednesday. The Men in Blue will be looking to continue their winning run in the tournament after a brilliant start against Pakistan. Ahead of their all-important clash against India, Hong Kong captain Nizakat Khan has backed Virat Kohli to bounce back to form and has admitted he is a huge fan of the former India skipper. Kohli has endured a lean patch for India across formats for a while now but looked in decent touch in the game against Pakistan. Khan mentioned how Kohli scored some crucial runs against Pakistan on Sunday and said he really wants to see the superstar batter score big runs in the tournament. Kohli played some brilliant strokes en route to his 35 off 34 balls laced with three fours and one six against Pakistan. "I am a big fan of Virat Kohli, he played well against Pakistan, we really want him to come back in form & score lots of runs," Khan told News 24 Sports. Also Read: Hardik Pandya has become like MS Dhoni, should lead India in future: Harbhajan Singh In their last meeting against India at the Asia Cup in 2018, Hong Kong produced an epic fight to nearly pull off an upset against Rohit Sharma's men. Hong Kong restricted India to 285/7 in 50 overs, bowling first before openers Khan (92) and Anshuman Rath (73) took the Indian bowlers to the cleaners. Also Read: 'Those shots were not necessary': Sunil Gavaskar criticises Kohli, Rohit's performance against Pakistan The duo posted a massive 174-run stand for the first wicket and took Hong Kong close to victory. However, they ended up falling short by 26 runs in the end to lose the game. Khan is expecting a similar performance from the team once again this time around. "We lost by just 20 (26) runs when we last faced India at the Asia Cup in 2018. Anything can happen in a T20 game. You don't when a bowler can deliver a good spell, or a batter hits some quick runs in a couple of overs," said Khan. "We have seen in the past too how even the top sides have lost against associate teams. We will go with positive body language and will stick to our process," he added.

'I am a big fan': Hong Kong captain Nizakat Khan wants Virat Kohli to bounce back to form in Asia Cup 2022